Skip to main content
A Singapore Government Agency Website How to identify
Official website links end with .gov.sg
Secure websites use HTTPS
Look for a lock () or https:// as an added precaution. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Government officials will never ask you to transfer money or disclose bank log-in details over a phone call.

Call the 24/7 ScamShield Helpline at 1799 if you are unsure if something is a scam.

Centre for Liveable Cities Knowledge Hub
Articles

World Cities Summit 2026 – A Quick Recap

30 September 2026

It is time for cities to ACT Now! At the 10th World Cities Summit (WCS) in Singapore, city leaders exchanged ideas, forged partnerships and explored solutions to address shared urban challenges. Better Cities brings to you a new series, Insights from WCS 2026, featuring key takeaways from selected WCS plenaries and sessions.

The World Cities Summit (WCS) marked its milestone 10th edition in Singapore from 14 to 16 June 2026, bringing together close to 4,200 delegates and trade visitors from 263 cities. Under the theme “Liveable and Sustainable Cities: ACT Now! – Accelerate, Collaborate, Transform”, the Summit focused on moving from dialogue to action — enabling participants to exchange knowledge, share urban solutions and forge partnerships that can accelerate the delivery of more liveable and sustainable cities.

15th WCS Mayors Forum Group Photo at WCS 2026

15th WCS Mayors Forum

A key highlight of the Summit was the 15th WCS Mayors Forum, held on 14 June. The Forum convened 112 mayors and city leaders to exchange experiences and identify practical responses to shared urban challenges. Building on discussions at the 2025 Mayors Forum in Vienna, participants delved deeper into four areas:

  • Delivering Affordable Housing

  • Re-thinking Urban Energy Transition

  • Managing Urban Water for Resilience

  • Providing Reliable and Efficient Municipal Services

The discussions underscored the importance of learning across cities while adapting approaches to different local contexts. The resulting Priorities for Action distil key takeaways from the Forum and identify areas where cities can continue advancing practical action and collaboration.

Read the Mayors Forum 2026 Priorities for Action (opens in new tab)

PM Lawrence Wong's Orchid Launch at WCS 2026

Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Singapore, at the opening of WCS 2026

This year, WCS was honoured to have Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong address participants at the opening of the 10th World Cities Summit on 15 June. He highlighted that in this time of profound global change, cities are ideal test-beds for problem-solving and reiterated the need for cities to learn from each other through initiatives such as the new Mayoral Fellowships under the City Network of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.

Read Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong’s full speech (opens in new tab)

Close-up photo of the Dendrobium, an orchid hybrid

Dendrobium World Cities Summit

During the opening, Prime Minister Wong also unveiled the Dendrobium World Cities Summit, an orchid hybrid created by the Singapore Botanic Gardens to commemorate the Summit's milestone edition.

With long-lasting flowers in vibrant gold and green hues, the launch of the orchid marks the spirit of the World Cities Summit – a symbol of innovation, growth and the collective commitment of cities to build more liveable and resilient futures for all.

For the latest news and updates on Mayors Forum 2027 and WCS 2028, follow WCS on LinkedIn (opens in new tab), Facebook (opens in new tab) or Instagram (opens in new tab).