The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center Officially Launched: The First Working Meeting Successfully Concluded

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Professor ChengHe Guan, Co-Director of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science, participated in the inaugural meeting of the Working Committee of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center (UNITAR PAS) is a directly affiliated operational entity officially approved by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR). It was established in collaboration with UNITAR and Shanghai Climate Week (SHCW) to advance the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the global Prosperity Alliance network.

On November 29, 2024, the inaugural meeting of the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center Working Committee was held in Shanghai. The meeting was convened by the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center Working Committee, with participation from all members of the Working Committee, the International Advisory Board, and the Secretariat. Attendees joined either in person at the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange or online from locations such as Geneva, Switzerland.

At the meeting, Ms. Mihoko Kumamoto, Director of the UNITAR Division for Prosperity, delivered an enthusiastic speech via video, congratulating the official launch of the Shanghai Center Working Committee and the International Advisory Board.

Ms. Kumamoto stated: "The establishment of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center is a significant step toward advancing the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a world-class hub for economic and cultural exchange, Shanghai is poised to drive regional openness and transformation within the framework of the global Prosperity Alliance, providing new and robust momentum for achieving inclusive development and fostering innovative collaboration."

                                                                                                 Ms. Mihoko Kumamoto, Director of the UNITAR Division for Prosperity

The meeting was chaired by Mr. Rao Wei, Executive Secretary-General of the Secretariat and a member of the Center's Working Committee. Members of the Working Committee (listed alphabetically by surname) who attended included Mr. Michael Adalla (UNITAR representative and senior expert), Professor ChengHe Guan (Co-Director of the Shanghai Key Laboratory of Urban Design and Urban Science), Mr. Lai Xiaoming (Chairman of the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange), Ms. Wu Changhua (Chairperson of the Asia-Pacific Water Forum Executive Committee), and Mr. Zou Rong (Co-Chair of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee).

Additionally, the first group of International Advisory Board members (also listed alphabetically by surname) included Professor Li Zheng (Dean of the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development at Tsinghua University), Mr. Peng Feng (Deputy General Manager of the Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange), Mr. Shi An (President of Rockwell Automation China), Professor Wang Xinjun (Dean of the Fudan Urban Planning and Architectural Design Institute), and Mr. Xing Guoliang (French Foreign Trade Advisor and Director of the French Enterprises Center). Participants joined either in person or virtually.

Members of the Working Committee and the International Advisory Board delivered speeches in turn, congratulating the successful convening of the inaugural meeting of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center Working Committee. Drawing on their respective professional fields and perspectives, they provided profound insights and foresight, outlining directions for the future work of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center. They also expressed their high expectations for the future of the Prosperity Alliance and the Shanghai Center.

Mr. Zou Rong, Director of the Shanghai Center, and Mr. Wang Manke, China Coordinator of UNITAR, jointly presented appointment letters to all members of the Working Committee and the International Advisory Board on behalf of the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance. During the meeting, the collaborative book Zero-Carbon China, co-authored by Shi An and others, was officially released.

                                                                                                     Mr. Zou Rong, Director of the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Zou Rong, Director of the UNITAR Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center, expressed sincere gratitude to Ms. Mihoko Kumamoto, Director of the UNITAR Division for Prosperity, as well as to Mr. Michael Adalla, who participated online from UNITAR in Geneva, Professor Li Zheng, who joined virtually during his business trip, and all members and attendees present at the meeting. He also outlined specific directions for the next steps in the work of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center.

The Working Committee will focus on innovative management and project implementation, while the International Advisory Board, composed of leading scholars and professionals from various fields, will provide strategic consultation, guidance, and resource coordination for the center's development. This structure is designed to maximize the center's innovation capacity and global influence, contributing more solutions toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The successful convening of the inaugural meeting of the Center reflects the United Nations Institute for Training and Research's strong commitment to the future development of the Prosperity Alliance and its recognition of the growing international brand influence of Shanghai Climate Week. It also highlights Shanghai's significant role in the global sustainable development arena. This meeting marks the official commencement of the comprehensive operational phase of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center, laying a solid foundation for future global network collaboration and innovation.

Members of the Secretariat Preparatory Team of the Prosperity Alliance Shanghai Center, including Yang Yiqi, Wang Zhe, Xie Tianwu, Qiao Siyi, and Wang Jun, attended the working meeting. Key representatives from the Secretariat, Strategic Center, and Brand Influence Center of the Shanghai Climate Week Executive Committee, such as Guan Jie, Wang Wei, Zhu Pengyang, and Lu Jingou, were also invited to participate.