For 110 years, the ICMA Annual Conference is where thousands of local government management professionals have gathered to share new ideas, strategies, resources, and solutions for managing local governments. With four and a half days of learning, inspiration, and connection, attendees leave equipped with the tools and support they need to make their communities better places to live, work, and play.
In line with ICMA’s commitment to being the home for local government professionals worldwide, we have curated 23 unique sessions and other events geared toward global knowledge sharing and one-of-a-kind networking opportunities with attendees from around the world. These events include education sessions, meetings, discussions, receptions, and a post-conference study tour, to provide a unique learning and networking experience to fit every attendee. Help us celebrate 100 years of ICMA's international engagement by adding some of the following conference experiences to your schedule this year!
Education Sessions
Even though the 500,000+ local governments around the world operate under different systems and structures, the issues they are facing have common threads. No matter where you are from, we have developed education sessions that are designed to spark ideas for new solutions to old problems, glean helpful insights from colleagues around the world, and expand your knowledge network by adopting a more global mindset.
Tibetan Settlements in India: Can They Thrive as Exclaves or Do They Need Integration with the Local Indian Settlements?
Tibetan settlements in India have very intricate dynamics, which begs the pivotal question of whether these settlements can thrive as exclaves or if integration with local Indian settlements is imperative. This session covers GIS mapping of Tibetan settlements in India, particularly diving into the spatial relationships, distribution, and physical characteristics of these communities, while considering the importance of involving residents of Tibetan settlements in decision-making processes and understanding successful models of community-led planning. Furthermore, this session will provide insight into Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) database management and its role in strengthening the government in exile.
Transformation of a Parks and Leisure Department into an Award-Winning, Industry-Leading Operation Within the United Kingdom
In the face of the UK's cost of living crisis, the parks and leisure department industry is grappling with membership losses and service cutbacks. This engaging master class-style session will dive into the mechanics of achieving exponential growth in leisure and parks departments, forging high-performing teams, and revolutionizing operations with residents in mind to secure continued growth and engagement for years to come.
Local Government Engagement with Our First Nations People: An International Perspective from Australia, New Zealand and Canada
Local government engagement with Indigenous and First Nations peoples entails an array of outcomes from partnerships, successes, challenges, and lessons learned. This panel-style session employs an international perspective in engaging with First Nations peoples, where panelists describe the different paths they have taken to try to achieve deep and meaningful relationships with their respective indigenous partners, some of the pitfalls to avoid, what true reconciliation looks like, and how the current political climate influences the direction your community may choose to take.
Ukrainian municipalities are actively navigating the reintegration of veterans into their communities during this time of war. This session will cover case studies from the U.S. about supporting veterans, ICMA’s work with the Association of Amalgamated Communities and local governments in Ukraine to prepare them for returning veterans, as well as the context of how Ukrainian communities are delivering select services during the war.
Leadership in the Shifting Sands
Valuable insights can always be gleaned from navigating challenging situations and adapting organizations for the future. This session, presented by UK local government association Solace, will cover the factors that increase the risk of corporate failure impacting your local authority, key drivers that pull organizations away from failure and toward a more sustainable footing, and how to create a blueprint to improve your organization and reduce the risk of unforeseen problems.
Local government professionals have varied career experiences, and the most effective and efficient local governments have leaders and staff who are continually learning new skills. This instructional session compares global approaches to training and development for local government leaders and staff, teaches how different professional bodies coordinate to develop comprehensive programs, and shows how these programs are improving quality of life for residents of local communities.
Whether it's a small green space or a large theme park, parks are required by law to be accessible, offering recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. This innovative session outlines how to make the many varieties of parks and trails compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), gives modification options for playgrounds to make them accessible, and uncovers little-known ways to incorporate all of the senses into outdoor experiences in order to make them accessible and enjoyable for individuals with different types of disabilities.
Chennai's meticulous approach to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions calculation and the implementation of its Climate Action Plan (CAP) stand as a beacon for other coastal cities in India who are grappling with the impacts of climate change. This thought-provoking session highlights the importance of conducting a comprehensive GHG emissions assessment across city and state departments, Chennai's success in community engagement and stakeholder involvement throughout the CAP formulation, and Chennai’s innovative solutions focusing on green infrastructure, nature-based solutions, and sustainable urban planning.
The year 2024 marks 100 years of the ICMA Code of Ethics and 100 years of ICMA's international engagement. In celebration of both of these momentous and interconnected anniversaries, a unique panel is gathering to dive into the benefits and challenges of promoting ethical local government management around the world. Panelists from Mexico, Belgium, New Zealand, and the United States will discuss how codes of ethics and conduct are applied in their respective countries, the strengthening of local government institutions due to the establishment of codes of ethics and professional standards, different types of ethical dilemmas, and how local government professionals can solve problems while maintaining ethical standards.
Tools developed and used by ICMA on its Clean Cities Blue Ocean (CCBO) and Cities for Enhanced Governance and Engagement (CHANGE) programs have drawn upon ICMA’s widely used Municipal Development Index to create unique, customized indices for performance management in specific areas. This informational session will dive into the stages and successful use cases of two impactful tools: the Local Government Solid Waste Capacity Index (SCIL – pronounced "skill") tool for local governments to assess their capacity to create and sustain an economically and environmentally sound solid waste management system, as well as the Local Governance Process Democratization Continuum (LGPDC) tool that describes the process changes needed for cities to reach a level of governance that reflects the principles of transparency, participation, and accountability.
Meetings
Meetings at the ICMA Annual Conference are the perfect opportunity to learn from your peers and let your voice be heard. Each ICMA Annual Conference meeting covers trending topics that help you see these issues in a whole new light, while hearing from and sharing with fellow attendees. The following list of meetings cover global issues related to the work of ICMA’s Global Engagement Committee, addressing workforce challenges in South Africa, and strengthening good governance.
Tackling Workforce Challenges in South African Local Governments
South African local government professionals gather for interactive dialogue around improving recruitment and retention practices in local government. This joint ICMA/NFBPA meeting will uncover the challenges surrounding the professionalization of local government in South Africa, as well as encourage brainstorming of globally applicable ideas around recruitment and retention best practices and how to go about developing lasting connections to build the pipeline of global local government talent, ultimately leading to a strong and well-developed sector around the world.
Good governance is a theme that resonates with local government practitioners worldwide. The Global Good Governance Meetup aims to show the similarity of municipalities around the globe by joining representatives from municipal associations and local governments around the world to share their challenges, successes, and best practices to strengthen good governance.
Global Engagement Committee Meeting
The ICMA Global Engagement Committee is a volunteer member committee charged with communicating the value of having an international perspective in local government work and emphasizing the “I” in ICMA in alignment with ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy. Global Engagement Committee members, international attendees, and anyone interested in ICMA's global engagement work in celebrating 100 years of the "I" in ICMA will come together to cover updates on ICMA's Global Engagement Strategy, presentations from international scholarship winners, an update on ICMA's global programs, and more. This meeting is open to all who are interested in global engagement.
Discussions
Discussions at the ICMA Annual Conference give attendees the opportunity to engage in a group conversation based on specific topics or issues. Each global discussion introduces an engaging topic, followed by interactive discussion between facilitators and attendees, ultimately leading to insightful feedback from participants. The following discussions cover global issues related to sport development, financial sustainability, and data-informed decision making.
Influence of Sport Development and Active Ways of Spending Free Time on a Healthy Running Municipality
Despite a general increase in quality of life and other benefits due to technology, negative influences from some forms of tech have led to a scarcity in more meaningful connections in the communities of today. This insightful discussion, presented by members of the Association of City Managers of the Czech Republic, highlights the positive effects that sporting programs have in this rapidly changing, tech-centered society all over the globe, while presenting specific ways that municipalities can develop and support sports and other active ways that residents can spend their free time.
A Tale of Two Cities — A Story about Council Mergers in NSW, Australia, and the Road Map Toward Financial Sustainability
As a result of the New South Wales (NSW) Government's Fit for the Future Program, and proposals for council mergers to address the long-term financial sustainability of local government, the merger of Queanbeyan City Council and Palerang Shire Council in 2016 established the new local government area; Queanbeyan Palerang Regional Council (QPRC). This unique discussion dives into the local governance framework in NSW (and Australia), the challenges of merging a large city council with a rural council, and the importance of leadership, culture, and connection to strategy in a large, diverse, regional city council in delivering community outcomes, reaching financial sustainability, and determining what success looks like.
Unlocking the Future: Harnessing Data for Informed Decision-Making and Sustainable Governance Worldwide
Explosive growth in Africa's population is already straining some of Africa's "mega cities" as well as smaller African cities that are emerging from growing rural settlements or merging with satellite towns. To navigate this growth, African city leaders need to adapt to different ways of operation when supported with the necessary tools and resources to transform the lives of residents. This discussion covers the fundamental concepts of data-driven decision making (DDDM), data and performance management practices in African cities, how to support decision making with limited data or scarce resources, and an understanding of the conditions needed for transformative leadership that will tackle challenges through data and innovation in African cities.
Receptions
Receptions at the ICMA Annual Conference provide a unique opportunity to meet and network with your peers from around the world.
The ICMA Equity Affiliate group, the International Network of Asian Public Administrators (I-NAPA), is hosting its annual networking mixer to connect with prospective and current members. This free event is a great opportunity to meet local government professionals, learn more about the organization, interact with board members, and have fun!
Join the Local Government Hispanic Network for its annual dinner. All are welcome to this evening full of food, fun, the celebration of public service, and music! Reserve your space for this event by visiting the LGHN website.
Join ICMA for an informal networking event celebrating 100 years of the "I" in ICMA. This reception is open for all to meet attendees from around the world and form long-lasting relationships.
Join the Japan Local Government Center for a unique networking reception aimed at strengthening local government relationships between Japan and the United States.
Stop by ICMA's Thriving Communities Reception to learn more about technical assistance, funding, and other resources from ICMA’s sponsored programs. Representatives from ICMA's programs will be available to answer questions about clean energy, economic development and mobility, environmental justice, and more.
Come join the Local Government Hispanic Network, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, the National Association of County Administrators and the International Network of Asian Public Administrators to celebrate their past 12 months of public service and collective accomplishments, while networking with colleagues and meeting new friends.
Post-Conference Study Tour
Still energized from your week at the ICMA Annual Conference and want to keep the knowledge sharing and networking going? Then join in the 2024 Post ICMA Annual Conference Study Tour organized by ICMA Europe. This study tour will take place Wednesday, September 25, through Sunday, September 29 and will tour Annapolis, Maryland; College Park, Maryland; and Washington, D.C. This study tour covers international cooperation in projects, town twinning, transparency, open government, transparent governance with civic engagement, smart cities projects, and experiences and best practices exchange from U.S. self governments. Contact Peter Agh to secure your spot!
New, Reduced Membership Dues
A new, reduced dues rate is available for CAOs/ACAOs, along with additional discounts for those in smaller communities, has been implemented. Learn more and be sure to join or renew today!
