On April 16, the 3rd Urban Innovation Forum, cohosted by Guangzhou Foreign Affairs Office, Guangzhou Institute for Urban Innovation and Guangzhou Library, was held in Guangzhou Library. 

Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General of the United Cities and Local Governments, Asia-Pacific Regional Section (UCLG ASPAC), was invited as the first foreign keynote speaker to deliver a speech on what urban innovation can bring to cities in the future. 

In her speech, Bernadia focused on different challenges Asian countries face when urbanizing. When she learnt that the audience were mainly university teachers and students and they attended the forum of their own accord, Bernadia felt very gratified, saying that “You are the backbones of urban innovation. You should not only pay attention to it but also participate in it.” At the end of the forum, she spoke highly of Guangzhou city and citizens. “Guangzhou is a city of warmth, height and depth,” she said, “and citizens speak excellent English and are very innovative.”