论坛由联合国人居署主办，它与“世界经济论坛”“世界社会论坛”并称为影响力最广泛的世界三大盛会，在促进全球人居环境可持续发展方面扮演重要角色。
本届大会以 “城市机遇：联结文化与创新” 为主题，吸引了全球来自超过168个国家的18000人参与。受疫情影响，松阳通过视频播放、演讲录制等形式远程参加论坛联络活动、边会活动以及展览活动。
此次论坛松阳与联合国人居署联合组织了“城市之声”边会活动，活动由联合国人居署区域和都市规划主管雷米•西斯平先生主持，来自西班牙、尼日利亚以及韩国的嘉宾围绕“乡村振兴：通过创新加强城乡联系——丽水松阳县案例”，深度探讨了“乡村振兴是如何强化城乡联系”课题。来自尼日利亚的阿卜杜勒·侯赛尼博士表示，转变对乡村的看法至关重要，不应当认为乡村只有农业，甚至认为乡村地区就是贫困地区，而是应该将乡村看作生态保护、休闲观光和文化交流体验的中心。他强调，制定的政策及项目应当更有效地促进乡村地区发展。
与会嘉宾和观众对松阳近年来探索的文化引领的乡村振兴实践给予了高度肯定。边会认为：松阳展示了其成功的乡村振兴战略。这一战略可以帮助解决乡村衰退导致的“乡村病”和城市贫民窟问题。松阳的“建筑针灸”战略是中国推崇乡村发展及生态保护行动的一部分。
松阳还以视频形式参加了“通过文化振兴和创新减少城乡差距”联络活动、“城乡互动及其对城市化地区土地利用动态、生态系统和市政服务的影响”边会活动。在“创新与文化推动乡村振兴——乡村变迁：松阳故事”展上，松阳向世界展示了“拯救老屋、建筑针灸、城市有机更新、绿道经济、集体经济模式”等创新实践和探索成果，并向所有论坛嘉宾发出2021年第二届城乡联系国际论坛的诚挚邀请。
疫情没有阻挡“松阳故事”走向国际舞台的步伐。当下，松阳正在积极实践一条以生态文明理念为指导，以文化引领为导向，以品质发展为准则，以壮大集体经济为牵引，以共同富裕为追求，系统调整乡村经济、社会和文化结构的“新路”，致力为解决全球城乡不可持续发展问题提供“乡村智慧”“乡村方案”，继续向世界讲述好一个又一个新的“松阳故事”。
Speakers of the conference were: Mr. Pan Yongshui (Songyang County People’s
Government), Mr. Ignacio de la Puerta (Basque Country Government, Spain),
Dr. Abdul Husaini, (Niger State Government, Nigeria) and Dr. Junyoung Choi (Korea Land and Housing Corporation).
The session was moderated by Mr. Remy Sietchiping (UN-Habitat).
During the session, the Deputy County Magistrate of Songyang County People’s Government affirmed:
“Songyang through its efforts in reviving and embracing its rural aspects of its county is developing a new economy that is known as a collective economy, which is motivated by increasing its individual capacities and businesses that impact the whole industrial chain.”
Dr. Abdul Husaini, the representative of Niger State, asserted the importance to begin looking at villages not only for agriculture or at worst as areas of deprivation but rather as centers for eco-conservation, leisure, site seeing, and cultural exchange and experience. He highlighted the importance to develop policies and programmes with the capacity to improve the rural areas.
An interesting question was posed by a Nigerian professor in the audience: are we treating rural and urban as independent entities or as a network of rural areas?
Answer to the question by Niger State and Basque County representatives was:
“Urban and rural are the same space, the same territory. Both spaces need each other to function. We need to consider all spaces and provide better connectivity between the spaces and solutions in which no space and no one will be left behind“
Here some major takeaways from the session:
● Settlement planning solutions should take the opinion of everyone and consider the Urban-Rural Linkages: Guiding Principles with a high level of advocacy by linking efficient spatial and territorial planning and economic development.
● Investment in territorial planning brings more return on investment with multiplier effects than having an unplanned environment.
● Sustainable and territorial planning cannot happen by accident but must be planned with strategy and advocacy.
The session took place in Room A of Voices from Cities.
