AUDI Hosts City Diplomacy Workshop to Boost Arab Cities’ Global Presence

18 Feb 2026

The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI) held a specialized workshop at its headquarters titled “Beyond borders: Securing the Global Future of your Metropolis” in collaboration with Metropolis, the global network of the world’s largest cities and metropolitan areas. The workshop aimed to enhance the global presence of Arab cities and promote strategic partnerships that help shape international urban agendas. The workshop brought together public relations and international partnerships specialists from municipal institutions across Arab cities with populations exceeding one million. The initiative forms part of AUDI’s ongoing efforts to empower municipal leaders and staff to strengthen their cities’ presence in international forums and build impactful global partnerships. The workshop underscored the importance of establishing a strong global urban presence as a key driver of positive influence, innovative city-to-city alliances, and active engagement in international urban policy dialogues. It also highlighted the value of activating partnerships and exchanging expertise to generate tangible impacts on local development. The workshop program featured a range of core topics, including:

The strategic dimensions of cities’ global presence
Global city networks and their role in advancing international cooperation
The contribution of city networks and organizations to shaping the urban agenda
International best practices in city diplomacy and partnership-building
Developing strategies to enhance cities’ global positioning and international profile

This workshop forms part of a broader series of training programs organized by AUDI to strengthen institutional capacities within municipal authorities and reinforce the role of Arab cities as active contributors to global urban agendas.