Colombian President Gustavo Petro participated in the opening session held the day before at Hector Salah Zuleta Public Library. As part of his speech, he proposed the creation of a global alliance for global democracy, human diversity, and freedom.

He also advocated for the energy transition and referred to the importance of promoting the use of renewable sources for electricity generation.

Colombian Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio stated that the objective of the meeting is to reflect on the challenges and opportunities of human mobility.

She considered that migration is not an isolating challenge but rather an opportunity to build more inclusive, supportive, and prosperous societies.

Some of the topics that will be discussed by the 1,000 delegates representing 40 states, organizations of the United Nations system, and civil society attending the meeting include mobility due to climate change, the impact of migrant women, youth participation, regional cooperation, and the use of technology to improve migration management.

“The global forum is an opportunity to exchange lessons learned, consolidate alliances, and project commitments toward comprehensive and co-responsible migration management that recognizes the contributions of migrants to the social, cultural, and economic development of our nations,” the Foreign Minister stated.

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