Guimarães at Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors’ Forum 2025

Guimarães stands out as the only Portuguese city present at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors’ Forum 2025 in Dubai.

Guimarães and the Landscape Laboratory are participating until Wednesday, October 29, 2025, in the Asia Pacific Cities Summit & Mayors’ Forum, held at Expo City Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates. Guimarães is the only Portuguese city represented at this global forum dedicated to urban leadership, innovation and sustainability.

The official Guimarães stand has welcomed several entities and personalities from around the world, including the Vice President of International Relations at the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates to Portugal, His Excellency Ahmed Al Mahmoud, and Satya Tripathi, Secretary-General of GASP – Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet. These visits reinforce the city’s growing international visibility and recognition.

During the three-day event, the Guimarães delegation is engaged in an intensive agenda of bilateral and multilateral meetings with local and international partners in areas such as urban sustainability, circular economy, biodiversity and energy transition. The objective is to strengthen Guimarães’ positioning as a global reference in green innovation and intercity cooperation.

Investment in 2030 climate targets estimated at €77 million

Next year, Guimarães will assume the title of European Green Capital, establishing itself as a “One Planet City” — where citizens, nature and the future coexist in balance. The city has obtained the mission label to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 and, according to its Climate Contract and Investment Plan, a total investment of €77 million is expected across key sectors such as mobility, transport, green infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

According to Francisco Carvalho, General Coordinator for Research and Innovation at the Landscape Laboratory,
“being at the Asia Pacific Cities Summit in Dubai is an important step to expand the ambition of Guimarães — and of the Landscape Laboratory — promoting knowledge exchange with global partners and advancing our vision of a sustainable, innovative and inspiring territory.”

This participation opens new perspectives for international cooperation, fostering partnerships that may translate into concrete projects, investments and the sharing of best practices that will contribute to a more sustainable future for the municipality and the region.

More information is available on the official website Guimarães 2030.