Mr. Edgar Villaseñor Franco, ICLEI’s Regional Secretary for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean, was distinguished with the Award for Municipal Excellence 2021 in Mexico on 27 August 2021, granted by the National Conference of Municipalities of Mexico (CONAMM). CONAMM brings together the municipalities of the country and their Associations.
Mr. Villaseñor received the award from Mr. César Garza Villarreal, Mayor of Apodaca, Nuevo Leon and President of the National Confederation of Municipalities of Mexico. Mr. Villaseñor was accompanied by his son to receive the award.
The Municipal Excellence Awards are given to outstanding leaders, personalities or actors of unquestionable prestige in the field of municipal development in Mexico, who have contributed to strengthening the municipal movement. In this edition, in addition to Edgar Villaseñor, Elkin Velázquez from UN-Habitat and Eugene Zapata from RC100, among other leaders, received the award.
Mr. Villaseñor highlighted in his acceptance speech the importance of the alliances that ICLEI has created with the different municipalities of the country to continue encouraging actions that contribute to counteract climate change, and how despite COVID-19, they should be considered as a priority. He pledged that ICLEI will continue to play its role as an ally with municipal governments in the fight against climate change and environmental preservation.
The event showcased initiatives of municipal governments, organizations and associations with a high impact on municipal work in various ways, including:
- National Award: Given to the best integral management of a municipal government, to the execution of an outstanding project and/or to the leadership of a world-class Mayor.
- State Awards: Given to the most outstanding projects or comprehensive management of municipal governments in each of the 32 states of the country and are exemplary at the regional level.
- Thematic Awards: Awarded to the best projects according to ten thematic areas based mainly on critical areas of development for citizens and those related to the fulfillment of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda.