From 1 to 4 April 2025, Seville will host the 6th World Forum of Local Economic Development (WFLED), a major international event that will bring together leaders, experts and professionals from around the world. The meeting will be held at the FIBES Conference Centre and will offer a comprehensive programme designed to address the most pressing challenges and opportunities facing local economic development in the current context.

WFLED aims to promote local economic development by fostering political debate and strengthening global partnerships, with the objective of generating concrete actions at local, national and international levels. During the event, high-level plenary sessions will present key themes, including the triple transition, which opens up opportunities for employment and local economic development, and a renewed perspective on people-centred territorial economy and planetary sustainability, framed in the 2030 Agenda. It will also analyse the challenges that territories face in the FfD4 agenda, seeking to identify keys and proposals to achieve fair territorial financing geared towards development.

In parallel, the policy dialogues will provide a space for reflection in which the strategic role of cooperatives in the financing of the economy and territorial development will be discussed, as well as the configuration of territorial ecosystems capable of boosting development financing through decentralised cooperation initiatives. These meetings will also debate the contribution of the informal economy and will present innovative models of agencies and articulation instruments that favour territorial cohesion, integrated within the global network of WFLED agencies.

In addition, the programme will address additional key sessions aimed at strengthening local economic development. These include the analysis of development agencies and other local instruments that empower people-centred global networks, the review of sub-national and territorial policies, and the exploration of strategic alliances to address climate change. In addition, experiences on alternative financing for micro-enterprises, SMEs and civil society organisations will be shared, as well as capacity building and local co-responsibility initiatives based on co-governance and multi-stakeholder partnerships.

The event will also feature parallel meetings, such as the UCLG Executive Bureau, which will consolidate the commitments made throughout the forum. The programme also includes sessions on topics such as the local circular economy, the role of young people in the economy, tax incentives, territorial pacts for employment, women’s economic empowerment, water resource management and the link between trade and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Programme per Day

Tuesday, 1 April:

The day starts early with registration and accreditation from 08:30, followed by various parallel sessions in the morning (10:00–13:30) that will address international experiences in the circular economy, innovation in youth and the local economy, tax incentives for responsible financing and the generation of territorial pacts for employment and development, among others.

During the afternoon, parallel activities and political dialogues will be held to explore issues such as the financing of local economic development from the perspective of subnational governments and ethical public procurement strategies. The day will culminate with a high-level plenary dedicated to the triple transition, ending with the official inauguration in the evening.

Wednesday, 2 April:

The second day will begin at 09:30 with debates centred on sub-national policies aimed at people-based local economic development, as well as the creation of territorial ecosystems for decentralised financing. During the morning, a high-level plenary will be held on the topic of ‘Territories facing the FfD4 agenda: Keys and contributions for fair territorial financing for development’.

Parallel sessions will deal with issues related to fair trade, the promotion of territorial brands and innovation in public and ethical banking models. At midday, the UCLG Executive Bureau and several political dialogues will intensify the debate on employment strategies, the informal economy and migration, while the afternoon is reserved for analysing territorial policies and alliances against climate change.

Thursday, 3 April:

Thursday’s session focuses on strengthening local capacities and co-responsibility for endogenous development. From 09:30 onwards, political dialogues and international experiences will be presented, including the articulation of the global network of agencies, success stories in territorial ecosystems and initiatives of energy communities in Latin America and Europe. Likewise, proposals are presented to promote care policies, public infrastructures that generate economic opportunities and strategies for the consolidation of alternative and sustainable models in the post-crisis era. The morning concludes with a plenary debate that proposes a new look at the territorial economy framed within the 2030 Agenda. The day closes with the closing ceremony that seals the Forum’s commitment.

Friday, 4 April:

The last day is reserved for a cultural programme and technical visits to the territory, designed to complement the formal agenda of the Forum. During this day, participants will be able to enjoy cultural activities in the city of Seville and explore innovative technical and practical initiatives in the field of local economic development. Organised in collaboration with multiple entities and partners, this final day provides spaces for networking and informal exchange of experiences, thus consolidating the spirit of collaboration and learning that characterises the WFLED.

📅 See the programme: https://ledworldforum.org/vi-forum/#programme

📝 Registration open until 21 March: ledworldforum.org

📢 Press contact: Fátima Santiago – fsantiago@andaluciasolidaria.org