On July 8, 2025, in Tianjin, China, the "Dialogue of Mayors of the World – the City of SCO Summits" was held, organized by the Press Office of the People's Government of Tianjin together with the editor-in-chief of the China Daily newspaper within the framework of the Year of Sustainable Development of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The theme of the event is "Harmony and unity – synergy in regional governance and regional integration".
The Dialogue was attended by representatives of the cities of the Member States that hosted the Organization's summits, heads of municipal administrations, as well as representatives of academia and the media.
In his speech at the opening ceremony, SCO Deputy Secretary General Janesh Kain stressed the symbolism of choosing Tianjin, where the Council of Heads of SCO Member States will be held in 2025, as a platform for Dialogue. He noted the timeliness of this initiative, which makes it possible to unite the efforts of municipalities in promoting the sustainable development agenda and to establish an exchange of practices in the field of effective regional governance.
It was emphasized that each of the cities represented has an important historical significance for the SCO, since during the meetings of the leaders of the member states, the most important decisions were made, the Organization's development strategy was formed and the "Shanghai spirit" was strengthened. The Deputy Secretary General noted the increased role of modern cities as drivers of innovation, platforms for cultural interaction and centre’s for the implementation of the green, digital and humanitarian agenda.