As the level of government closest to the people, local governments have historically and continue to play a significant role in systems of governance. In the age of globalization, where the world is getting smaller, communities have a renewed interest in the role that the government level closest to them may offer. The majority of the population in most countries reside in cities, the governance of which is not only more complex but also has the ability to significantly impact the rest of the country. These dynamics were forcefully brought to the surface in 2020 by the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to address the key role of local governments in federal and multilevel countries, the Forum continues to develop comparative programming on local governance dynamics.
