Considering the practical experience of Dr. Lu Rong, the first director of the Management Office of the Chinese Government and United Nations Development Programme Livelihood Construction Demonstration Projects, in promoting sustainable development and livelihood projects, the International Mayors Communication Centre (IMCC), an NGO in special consultative status with the United Nations, invited him to serve as special senior advisor. Dr. Lu gladly accepted the offer. Ms. Jin Lan, founder of the IMCC, issued the letter of appointment on December 13, 2024. She made a special trip to Beijing to present the letter of appointment to Dr. Lu on January 7, 2025.

Ms. Jin Lan presents the letter of appointment to Dr. Lu Rong.

A scene of the appoint ceremony.

At the appointment ceremony of the special senior advisor to the IMCC, Dr. Lu delivered a passionate speech, summarizing the arduous struggle of the past and looking forward to the beautiful vision of sustainable development in the future. He pointed out that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations is a value orientation that draws consensus from member states around the world, while the Chinese government’s proposal to build a community with a shared future for mankind is highly in line with the interests of people of all countries. The year of 2025 coincides with the 20th anniversary of the IMCC. On the basis of the previous 20 years, the IMCC will leverage the efficient and pragmatic role of people-to-people diplomacy, use cities as connecting points, expand its circle of friends, promote cooperation between cities in the world, and enhance the cities’ governance capacity of sustainable development. The IMCC will create mutually supportive and distinctive urban prosperity landscapes based on the characteristics of each city, serving as a disseminator of sustainable development culture among cities worldwide.