Suzhou Creek and the Huangpu River met the Thames, with water serving as a shared symbol of culture and urban identity, as the Shanghai-London Twin Cities Dialogue gathered momentum
Our Water Season 2 Launch Ceremony & The London Forum
Wang Qi, Minister at the Chinese Embassy in the UK, noted in his remarks that both Shanghai and London have flourished thanks to their rivers, prospered as port cities, and continue to be revitalized by culture and innovation. "Today's event is not only an exchange between two cities, but also a meaningful cultural interaction and a collective step towards a better future," he said.
During the event, representatives from London, Liverpool, and Shanghai jointly launched the World-class Waterfront Development Initiative, aiming to drive the comprehensive transformation of urban waterfronts worldwide—from spatial regeneration to the integration of ecology, economy, and culture. The initiative aspires to establish global demonstration zones and pioneering models of waterfront development aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Julia King, Co-founder of Social Place and former Researcher at the Cities Research Centre at the London School of Economics, shared her perspective: "I think China broadly has done a lot more interesting projects around nature-based solutions for rivers in general. And I think the approach that Shanghai is taking to its river, to its principal attributes is something that I think we could probably learn a lot from and then have an exchange as to kind of around public realm."
Michael Clifford, Economic Advisor at EY-Parthenon, added: "I think there's already a good foundation of working collaboration between London and Shanghai. London has a real focus on investable propositions and opportunities and particularly in the development space, a whole set of kind of development opportunities around and alongside the river."
Our Water Season 2 will launch a six-day program in London featuring six flagship events focused on cultural dialogue, historical and environmental renewal, Sino-British numismatic heritage, multimedia art, culinary exchange, and global innovation collaboration. Later this year, the season will return to Shanghai, where activities like the Shanghai–London "Poetry in Twin Cities Metro" campaign will be officially unveiled.Hashtag: #ShanghaiEye
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