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The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces ratifies its support for the international of local institutions
The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces (Federación Española de Municipios y Provincias - FEMP) has signed a cooperation agreement with a Cifal Bilbao, organizer of the II World Summit of Cities and Local Authorities on the Information Society. By signing this agreement, FEMP ratifies its support for the international meeting which is to be held in Bilbao from 9 to 11 November next.
The meeting in the capital of Bizkaia, which will bring together more than 2,000 representatives of cities and regions around the globe, seeks the commitment of local authorities to prevent the digital divide, which is threatening to leave thousands of millions of citizens on the five continents in a state of electronic illiteracy.
FEMP leaders, according to the agreement signed with Cifal Bilbao, have pointed out the importance of promoting the Information Society, which is only complete if it enables “all persons, especially those who are farthest away” from the new communication technologies, to have access to it. This federation is made up of almost 7,000 local institutions, including municipal, provincial and inter-island councils, among others.
FEMP shares the criteria of the UN and of the Basque Government, the promoters of the World Summit in Bilbao, because it understands that “international cooperation between cities and regions proves essential” for their own development. According to this thesis, the Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces considers that Cifal Bilbao “is playing an outstanding role” in promoting the November encounter among the local authorities all over the planet, while at the same time training these institutions in matters related with the Information Society.
FEMP will promote the Bilbao Summit among its members and among other cities and regions of the world. The Spanish Federation of Municipalities and Provinces will be represented at the congress by political leaders at the highest level, from municipalities and provinces that belong to this organisation. In Bilbao, these interlocutors will analyse those successful projects related with the Internet which have arisen out of the initiative of local authorities.
The agreement between FEMP and Cifal Bilbao was signed by Francisco Vázquez, Mayor of A Coruña and Chairman of the Federation, and by Iñaki Azkuna, Mayor of Bilbao and Executive Co-president of the Bilbao Summit.