Kerala Urban Conclave to be held in Kochi on September 12-13
Kerala will host the Kerala Urban Conclave 2025 on September 12 and 13 at the Grand Hyatt Convention Centre, Kochi, to formulate the state’s first comprehensive Urban Policy, announced by M.B. Rajesh, Minister for Local Self-Government, Excise, and Parliamentary Affairs.
The international conclave, themed ‘Aspiring Cities, Thriving Communities,’ will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on September 12 at 9:30 AM. Minister M.B. Rajesh will preside over the ceremony. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar will be the chief guest. Other dignitaries attending the inaugural session include Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian, Sri Lankan Minister for Urban Development Anura Karunathilake, Martin Meyar, Member of the Executive Council of Public Works & Infrastructure South Africa, Opposition Leader V.D. Satheesan, Union Urban Affairs Secretary K. Srinivas IAS, and Kerala Ministers K.N. Balagopal, K. Rajan, A.K. Saseendran, and P. Rajeev, along with several other public representatives.
Prof. M. Satheesh Kumar, Chairman of the Kerala Urban Policy Commission, and Adv. M. Anil Kumar, Co-Chairman and Mayor of Kochi, will present the commission’s report at the conclave.
This marks the first time in India that a state is formulating a comprehensive Urban Policy. The commission submitted its recommendations to the government under ten thematic sectors, which will form the basis of discussions at the conclave. The policy aims not only at physical infrastructure growth but also at improving quality of life, promoting social justice, ensuring environmental sustainability, and embracing cultural diversity. The conclave will also deliberate on solutions to climate challenges, demographic pressures, and employment and education sector issues facing Kerala.
The event will feature participation from three foreign ministers, two Union ministers, and five ministers from other Indian states. Additionally, seven mayors from abroad and fifteen from across India will share their perspectives.
Distinctive forums of the conclave include the High-Level Political Forum of Ministers, with the participation of foreign and Union ministers; the High-Level Political Forum of Mayors, attended by mayors from cities across the world; and the Councillors’ Assembly, with the participation of all mayors of Kerala’s corporations and chairpersons of municipalities.
The High-Level Political Forum of Ministers will see the participation of Sri Lankan Minister for Urban Development Anura Karunathilake, Martin Meyar of the Infrastructure Executive Council from South Africa, Malaysia’s Minister of Housing and Local Government Nga Kor Ming, along with state ministers K.N. Nehru (Tamil Nadu), Vikramaditya Singh (Himachal Pradesh), Hardeep Singh Mundian (Punjab), Kailash Vijayvargiya (Madhya Pradesh), former Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Gowda, and MLA Tanvir Sadiq from Jammu and Kashmir.
The High-Level Political Forum of Mayors will include Durban Mayor Cyril Xaba from South Africa, Colombo Mayor V. Kalli Balthazar from Sri Lanka, Malé Mayor Adam Azim from the Maldives, Bhim Prasad, Mayor of Nilkantha Municipality in Nepal, Eduardo Tadeu, Executive Director of the Brazilian Association of Municipalities, and Prahlad Sapkota, Mayor of Ratnanagar Municipality in Nepal, as international representatives. In addition, mayors from various municipal corporations in India, along with the mayors of all six corporations in Kerala, will participate. Ten policy formation sessions, five plenary sessions, two focus sessions, five fireside chats, and eleven roundtable sessions will also be organized as part of the conclave.
The valedictory session will be held at 4.00 PM on September 13, with Shombi Sharp, UN Resident Coordinator for India, as the chief guest. The session will be inaugurated by Minister for Industries, Law and Coir P. Rajeeve. Ministers M.B. Rajesh, Roshi Augustine, K. Krishnankutty and J. Chinchurani, Deputy Leader of Opposition P.K. Kunhalikutty, Kerala State Planning Board Vice Chairman Prof. V.K. Ramachandran, and other public representatives will also participate.
In connection with the conclave, a large-scale exhibition will be organized at Kochi Marine Drive from September 11 to 15. The exhibition will serve as a venue to present before the public Kerala’s urban development journey, new ideas, innovative technologies, sustainable models and progress in urban amenities.
More than one thousand delegates, including international representatives, national policymakers, academic experts, industry leaders, NGOs and youth, will participate in the conclave.