The opening speech of the Mayor Virginio Merola at the official presentation of the First Global Summit of the International Coalition of Cities against Racism (ICCAR), for the first time convened, in the city of Bologna.

"Thank you President. It is me who thanks the present mayors and councillors for the words of appreciation to our beautiful city. I do this on behalf of all councillors, the important thing for us is that this first meeting of the Global Steering Committee of the cities against racism and discrimination is taking place in our city: for us it's an honor and we thank you for your presence. I know it's an important job. There are more than 550 cities in the world that have joined the coalition, divided into regional coalitions, all represented here. With the Bologna declaration, that we will sign after, we will bring a common position to Quito, Ecuador, at the Habitat III Conference, where the contents of a new urban agenda will be defined with respect to the issues of the right to housing and sustainable urban development: the comparison between cities is important to give more force and tenacity to the fight against racism and discrimination. We live in a world that needs to reduce inequities, needs greater equality and affirmation of full civil and social rights. Cities from this point of view are the actual thermometer of the possibility of full affirmation of human rights. Cities can and must be the engine of sustainable development at global level and it's good that cities are in a network starting from this fundamental issue of human rights and the fight against discrimination because cities are the place of democracy, debate and the organization of the coexistence of different life styles and ideas. Cities that succeed in the world, who are increasingly asserting are cities where the plurality of lifestyles and diversity become an asset for the economic, social and civil development. These are the attractive cities in the world, able to attract investment, attract talent and a population able to secure the future of urban communities.

This is therefore very important to reiterate here together, compared with the national states, with respect to the federations of states, in particular referred to our Europe. Europe can progress in this difficult time if it hinges on cities and their ability to create civil societies united in the goals of development and progress. We witness also in these days, we remembered with our minute of silence, situations and tragedies that we all hoped not to see. Surely the fight against discrimination and to reduce economic inequality, the fight against racism and xenophobia, is hard tested by what is happening to Europe's borders, and in fact requires the capacity of cities to put pressure on European governments to allow Europe to welcome in an orderly and common way and not to deny the right of refugees to be received. And again to intervene in support of civil and social rights in situations where people are forced to flee from terrorism, dictatorships and wars going on.

Beginning with this declaration of Bologna and also in Quito with those of us who will be there and who will represent us, we want to say together as cities that we need to understand that to affirm democracy today throughout the world we must start from cities, but that the alternative to cities cannot be understood as a reassertion of nationalism, states closed in themselves, we have to look for new boundaries instead of letting emerge new frontiers. This position of the cities must be understood, it is already supported by UNESCO, it needs to become an equal partner compared with all the Heads of Government. I think we can demonstrate together with our positive and concrete actions for the affirmation of civil or social rights or in combating discrimination, inequality and racism, that the alternative to the city will again become the oldest one and is returning today in modern terms, the alternative to the cities may be just the desert, the desert of relationships, to be closed in theirselves, the decline because the cities are transformed into places of citizens of series A and series B. L'alternative is not the desert until I hope there will be support of coalition networks like ours, and until we can count on a battle together for the common good of our communities. Today we are tested on a fundamental right, we Europeans, that also gave to the countries where you come from, the right to pursuit happiness and freedom and then we call things by their name, the right to emigrate, to seek a chance for yourself and for your families. And if Europe will not be up to a coherent response with respect to this right, I believe that Europe will have no future, as well as all our regional areas.

Thanks again to the present mayors and councillors, thanks to this common work and thank you for choosing Bologna to say this together. "