Pritzker Forum on Global Cities

Our world is connected through cities. As hubs of culture and knowledge, cities are sources of innovative solutions to pressing global issues.

From climate change to the pandemic and geopolitical instability, global crises are exacerbating environmental, health, and economic disparities—within and across cities. What policies, partnerships, and innovations can help cities adapt to these new realities and build an equitable and resilient urban future?

Featured Event

People walking through destruction in Ukraine, with stacks of destroyed cars in the background

A destroyed apartment complex in Ukraine

Two people ride bikes through a destroyed neighborhood in Ukraine

In the face of urban warfare, mayors and local communities have emerged as symbols of leadership, resistance, and resilience.

Ukraine and Cities on the Frontlines

Thursday, June 9, 2022 | 9:00 am CDT, 4:00 pm CET

About This Event

Virtual | Conference

Cities are on the frontlines, mobilizing and coordinating responses to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the atrocities of war. In the face of urban warfare and tragic human suffering, mayors and local communities have emerged as symbols of leadership, resistance, and resilience.

We examine how cities are key actors in responding to the war; both on the battlegrounds in Ukraine and abroad providing humanitarian aid and welcoming refugees. Conversations also explore the role of cities as diplomatic actors, movement builders, and voices of humanity on the global stage, and look ahead to the critical support cities will need to recover and rebuild.

About the Speakers

Kelly T. Clements

United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Refugees

Kelly T. Clements joined UNHCR in 2015 as deputy high commissioner. She has been closely involved with refugee and displacement issues throughout her three-decade career. Previously, Clements was a member of the Senior Executive Service, serving as deputy assistant secretary of state in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM). In 2014, she was acting deputy chief of mission at the US Embassy in Beirut, Lebanon.

Sergiy Gamaliy

Governor, Khmelnitskiy Region

Sergiy Gamaliy is the chief of Khmelnitskiy Regional State Administration. He also currently serves as the head of the regional military administration. The Khmelnitskiy region of Ukraine is a humanitarian hub, with over 345,000 refugees passing through the region to the western border of the country. Previously, Governor Gamaliy studied law at Khmelnitskiy Management and Law University.

Brian Hanson

Vice President, Studies

Brian Hanson is the Vice President of Studies at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. He oversees the Council's research operations and hosts the Council's weekly podcast, Deep Dish on Global Affairs.

Valeriya Ionan

Deputy Minister for Eurointegration, Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine

Valeriya Ionan is deputy minister for Eurointegration at the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine. She is in charge of the digital literacy national program, development and growth of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME), new digital professions, online child protection, and Eurointegration and digital transformation of regions in Ukraine.

Aloysius John

Secretary General, Caritas Internationalis

Aloysius John was elected secretary general in 2019. He has previously served as director for institutional development and capacity strengthening (2013) and coordinator for international development (1998), among other positions at Caritas. He coordinated the 2004 Tsunami operations in Sri Lanka, India, and Indonesia. In 2012, he was decorated with the French National Order of Merit.

David Korányi

Senior Advisor to the Mayor, Budapest

David Korányi serves as president of Action for Democracy, policy advisor on sustainable energy at the United Nations, and senior advisor on city diplomacy to Mayor Gergely Karácsony of Budapest. Previously, he served as undersecretary of state and chief foreign policy and national security advisor to Gordon Bajnai, Former Prime Minister of the Republic of Hungary.

Edward Luce

US National Editor, Financial Times

Edward Luce is the Financial Times' chief US commentator and columnist based in Washington, D.C. Prior to that role, he was the Financial Times' Washington bureau chief and South Asia bureau chief based in New Delhi.

Nadia McConnell

Co-Founder and President, US-Ukraine Foundation

Nadia McConnell is co-founder and president of the US-Ukraine Foundation, where her work centers on the development of democratic institutions in Ukraine and promoting US-Ukraine relations. McConnell has previously served as director of congressional relations at the Federal Emergency Management Administration (FEMA) and as deputy assistant administrator for congressional affairs at NASA during the Reagan administration.

Raphaela Schweiger

Director of Migration Program, Robert Bosch Stiftung

Raphaela Schweiger is the director of the migration program at the Robert Bosch Stiftung. Since joining the Foundation in 2015, she has developed numerous programs on migration and inclusion issues for policymakers and practitioners and published widely on migration governance. She also serves as chair of the European Programme for Integration and Migration (EPIM).

Peter Spiegel

US Managing Editor, Financial Times

Peter Spiegel is currently the US managing editor of the Financial Times. Prior to that, he worked at the Los Angeles Times and the Wall Street Journal.

Igor Terekhov

Mayor, Kharkiv

Igor Terekhov was elected Mayor of Kharkiv in October 2021. Previously, he has held senior positions in the executive bodies of local government. He has been awarded the Order for Merit and the Order for Courage, III Grade. Now, together with the best architects in the world, Mayor Terekhov leads the development of a new Master Plan to rebuild the City of Kharkiv.

Statistics on Ukraine

10.2 million

Number of people displaced within Ukraine or forced to flee the country, as of March 25.
Source: UNHCR

11 mayors and local leaders

There have been 11 mayors and other local leaders abducted by Russian forces, as of April 3.
Source: AFP for Citizen Digital

177 municipalities

The number of municipalities who participated in #CitieswithUkraine day of solidarity.
Source: Eurocities

2014 year the first stage of decentralization began in Ukraine

The decentralization included transferring powers and finances from the state authorities to local governments.
Source: Government of Ukraine.

About the Forum

Four women speak while sitting in chairs on-stage

People in the audience laughing during a program

Two people talk while sitting at a table during an event

Since 2015, the Pritzker Forum on Global Cities, cohosted by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs and the Financial Times, has brought together leaders in business, civics, education, and the arts for a cross-sector dialogue on the influential role cities play in addressing critical global challenges.

Since June 2020, the Pritzker Forum on Global Cities has been reconceptualized as a platform for yearlong conversations on the most pressing issues facing cities and the critical role of cities as actors in global governance. Conversations at the Forum explore urban challenges and solutions through the lenses of governance, equity, and resilience.

About the Chicago Council on Global Affairs

The Chicago Council on Global Affairs is an independent, nonpartisan organization that provides insight on critical global issues, advances policy solutions, and fosters dialogue about what is happening in the world and why it matters to people in Chicago, the United States, and around the globe.

About the Financial Times

The Financial Times is one of the world’s leading business news organisations, recognized internationally for its authority, integrity, and accuracy. The FT has a record paying readership of one million, three-quarters of which are digital subscriptions. It is part of Nikkei Inc., which provides a broad range of information, news, and services for the global business community.

An exterior view of Pritzker Pavilion — The first-ever forum event, Global Cities Driving the Global Economy, took place in 2015 at Millennium Park's Pritzker Pavilion.