A/HRC/30/49 Education (PDHRE), a non-profit international service organization.16 It was further developed, particularly as a normative concept, by the World Human Rights Cities Forum, which takes place annually in the city of Gwangju, Republic of Korea. 43. The Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City, adopted at the 2011 World Human Rights Cities Forum on 17 May 2011, defines a human rights city as “both a local community and socio-political process in a local context where human rights play a key role as the fundamental values and guiding principles”. A human rights city requires a shared human rights governance in the local context where local government, local parliament (council), civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders cooperate to improve the quality of life for all people in the spirit of partnership based on human rights standards and norms. A human rights-based approach to local governance includes the principle of democracy, participation, responsible leadership, transparency, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment and rule of law. The concept of a human rights city also emphasizes the importance of securing the broad participation of all actors and stakeholders, in particular marginalized and vulnerable groups, and the importance of effective and independent human rights protection and monitoring mechanisms to which all people have recourse. It recognizes the importance of inter-local and international cooperation and solidarity among cities engaged in the promotion and protection of human rights.17 44. The Gwangju Guiding Principles for a Human Rights City, adopted at the 2014 World Human Rights Cities Forum on 17 May 2014, contains the following principles for a human rights city: the right to the city; non-discrimination and affirmative action; social inclusion and cultural diversity; participatory democracy and accountable governance; social justice, solidarity and sustainability; political leadership and institutionalization; human rights mainstreaming; effective institutions and policy coordination; human rights education and training; and right to remedy. 45. A number of cities throughout the world have officially declared themselves “human rights cities”,18 and several international networks of cities have developed. 46. Other concepts have been developed, both in doctrine and in practice, which essentially pursue the same objective. One of them is “the right to the city” first articulated by the French philosopher Henri Lefebvre; 19 it refers mainly to the right of the inhabitants and “users” of the city to participate in local public affairs and define the space of the city. 20 So far the concept of “the right to the city” has been institutionalized in a limited manner, examples being the City Statute of Brazil (2001), the Montreal Charter of Rights and Responsibilities (2006) and the Mexico City Charter for the Right to the City (2010). 16 17 18 19 20 12 The Human Rights Cities Program run by PDHRE includes the development of 30 human rights cities and the training of 500 young community leaders at four Regional Learning Institutions for Human Rights Education. Gwangju Declaration on Human Rights City, full text available from http://www.uclgcisdp.org/sites/default/files/Gwangju_Declaration_on_HR_City_final_edited_version_110524.pdf. Among them: Rosario (Argentina), which was the first human rights city, initiated in 1997; Bandung (Indonesia); Barcelona (Spain); Bihac (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Bogota (Colombia); Bongo (Ghana); Copenhagen (Denmark); Graz (Austria); Gwangju (Republic of Korea); Kaohsiung (Taiwan Province of China); Kati (Mali); Korogocho (Kenya); Mexico City (Mexico); Mogale (South Africa); Montreal (Canada); Nagpur (India); Porto Alegre (Brazil); Prince George’s County, Maryland (United States); Saint-Denis (France); Sakai (Japan); Thies (Senegal); Utrecht (the Netherlands); Victoria (Australia). Henri Lefebvre, Le Droit à la Ville (Paris, Ed. du Seuil, 1968). The Habitat International Coalition and its Housing and Land Rights Network have worked over the past decade to promote and develop the definition of “the right to the city.”