Leuven chosen as Champion City in the 2021 Bloomberg Global Mayors Challenge

Leuven has been nominated as one of the fifty Champion Cities in the 2021 Global Mayors Challenge. Bloomberg Philanthropies' Global Mayors Challenge is a global competition that collects the most innovative and ambitious ideas that cities developed in response to the corona pandemic. The fifty Champion Cities were chosen from more than 630 applicants from 99 different countries. Leuven submitted a proposal together with Leuven 2030 and can count itself among the finalists of the competition along with cities such as London, Paris, New Orleans, Auckland and Cape Town, among others. Fifteen of the fifty cities will ultimately win the main prize. The winners will each receive a cash prize of $1 million to further improve their ideas. The grand prize winners will be announced in early 2022.

"Leuven's innovative collaboration model and the results it produces go beyond technology. Together with inhabitants, organizations, companies and knowledge institutions, we work every day on a better future for Leuven and far beyond. For this innovative governance model, we were crowned European Innovation Capital by Europe. The fact that Bloomberg Philanthropies has named us one of the fifty Champion Cities out of more than 630 cities worldwide, is once again a very nice recognition for our city", says Mayor Mohamed Ridouani.

The fifty Champion Cities submitted ideas around four of the key challenges of the pandemic: economic recovery & inclusive growth, health & wellness, climate & environment, and good governance & equity. "These fifty finalists show the world that, in the face of the enormous challenges of the pandemic, cities are rising to meet challenges with bold, innovative and ambitious ideas," said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg LP, Bloomberg Philanthropies and 108th Mayor of New York City.