Big issues that city and local government managers face transcend traditional boundaries. ICMA’s 6^th Annual International Regional Conference, takes place on April 18-22, 2019, in Timisoara, Romania. This regional conference is a networking and professional development event happening in conjunction with the International Committee meeting, giving members the opportunity to engage in conversations with local government professionals from around the world to share solutions and best practices.

To be effective leaders, local government managers must be adept at identifying, starting, and facilitating conversations across borders; sharing resources to react and adapt to the dynamic and rapidly changing economic and social realities. ICMA’s international affiliate, the Association of Public Administrators in Romania, and the International Committee will help shape this dialogue by encouraging conference participants to think of actionable steps ICMA and our members can take to strengthen our global relationships with all international affiliate organizations. 

This year’s conference will also continue the conversation started during the 2018 International Regional Conference in Tel Aviv on the impact of Smart Cities across the globe, with a panel of conference participants from the United States and Romania. The conference will conclude with an optional field trip to Alba Iulia providing conference attendees with a closer look at Romania’s first smart city, before returning home.

In between the structured meetings during the conference, there will be exploration opportunities throughout Romania for participants to discover the creativity used in building tourism through linkage to local stories. This will be demonstrated through many of the planned excursions, such as visiting Dracula’s Castle, taking Romania’s various methods of public transportation systems, and participating in the city’s annual flower festival – Timfloralis.

Attending the international regional conference gives members the chance to connect with their counterparts across the globe and gain new perspectives on similar work-related challenges. Technology has enhanced global access to information by providing opportunities for networking, learning, and communicating across boundaries and time zones. However, diversifying our interactions and meeting face to face with peers can add another level of personal connection that is invaluable today.