Bratislava hosted the Pact of Free Cities

The Pact of Free Cities was established in 2019 by the mayors of Bratislava (Matúš Vallo), Budapest (Gergely Karácsony), Warsaw (Rafał Trzaskowski) and Prague (Zdeněk Hřib). Since then, based on the growing need to protect values such as freedom and democratic principles, almost 40 more mayors have gradually joined the Pact.

The aim of the Pact is to protect and support the common values of freedom, human dignity, democracy, equality, respect for rights, social justice, tolerance and cultural diversity, as well as to address society’s most pressing challenges and to speak out against populism.

Said the Mayor of Bratislava, Matúš Vallo:

“In places where populist governments fail, cities and regions can still stand on the side of people and democracy. Cities are becoming a shield for protecting democracy, and I’m convinced that they can be on the front line in overcoming all the crises we face today, whether it is cyber threats, critical infrastructure failures or serious armed conflicts. Insecurity is increasingly getting into our lives and opening up a number of concrete issues that we need to discuss and to exchange experiences. I am all the more pleased that I can host mayors and representatives of cities from all over the world in Bratislava and that our Pact of Free Cities, which we founded in 2019 with the mayors of Budapest, Warsaw and Prague, is growing into a global network that is so very important in exchanging views and experiences."

In the scope of the working part of the Bratislava summit, the mayors discussed the dangers that cities are facing in the rapidly changing geopolitical environment, including growing security threats and increasingly dangerous narratives in the public space that threaten democratic principles. The mayors associated with the Pact are aware that their role in ensuring the free life of the residents of the cities they represent is essential.

An important topic of discussion was the specific situation in the USA, which is significantly strengthening the need for global solidarity among democratic city leaders. For the first time since its founding, the summit addressed the expansion towards the transatlantic space and welcomed 10 new members – mayors of cities from the USA.

Said Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw:

“When we founded the Pact of Free Cities together with Bratislava, Budapest and Prague, we were united by common values and the fight against populism. We were later joined by an additional 30 cities that wanted to show solidarity with our values, which live them in their daily reality and want to support them. I’m glad that 10 American cities are joining us, because they also share these values and the fight against populism."

Said Lacey Beaty, Mayor of Beaverton, Oregon:

“For me, it is a great honour to join the Pact of Free Cities. Today, on both sides of the Atlantic, we see tensions and increasing pressures on democratic institutions, as well as hatred, mistrust and the polarization of society. We perceive these pressures first at the city level because we are closest to the people. That is why meetings like this are so important. We need to protect democracy together, to be engaged and to have vibrant mutual relations. We need to cooperate and demonstrate belonging. We share the same values and the same challenges and the responsibility to protect democratic institutions. The relationships we are building here will help democracy to remain resilient even in the face of increasing populism in the world."

With the expansion of 10 new American mayors, the Pact of Free Cities becomes a global network with almost 50 members. This also relates to the light institutionalisation of the Pact, which the members approved at the Bratislava summit. Although informality is a core characteristic of the Pact of Free Cities, more intensive coordination is needed to ensure continuity and to take advantage of the potential of a common voice and reach. Therefore, the Pact members agreed on a joint permanent Pact secretariat to be based in Budapest. Its work will be supported by a strategic partner in the USA – the ALLIES alliance. They also agreed to create an executive board of the Pact, which will always consist of 5 mayors from different regions and will be cyclically changed. Its chairman will always be the mayor of the city that is to host the annual summit in the following year. Next year’s summit will take place in Amsterdam; therefore, the Mayor of Bratislava, Matúš Vallo, personally handed over the Pact presidency for 2027 to the Mayor of Amsterdam, Femke Halsema.

Added Femke Halsema, Mayor of Amsterdam:

“I mainly want to thank the founders of the Pact of Free Cities for starting this initiative at a very difficult time. The world is changing, and not necessarily for the better. For us and likewise for the people who live in our cities, freedom is the most important thing. What I like most about the US Constitution is the ‘right to happiness’, and I believe that the people in our cities have the right to live in a happy society. This is why it is important that we work together to protect democracy and the rule of law. I’m looking forward to the Pact of Free Cities meeting in Amsterdam next year."

The Pact members at the same time agreed to jointly support the proposal to nominate the city of Minneapolis and its people for the Nobel Peace Prize. A city and its people have never before been laureates of this prestigious award, and in this way, the Pact wants to draw attention to the importance of cities in the fight for peace and democracy. The proposal for nominating Minneapolis is a response to recent events in the US, especially in the city of Minneapolis, where the controversial deployment of federal troops in an alleged fight against illegal immigration led to the death of two citizens. These events showed that even in such situations, people in the city can unite and confront an unjust abuse of power. According to the Pact members, the response of the citizens of Minneapolis and its mayor Jacob Frey deserves attention and recognition in the context of the fight for democratic values.