Global Mayors Academy
We empower city leaders to deliver visible results, community engagement and sustainable development with world-class strategies, tools, and a supportive global peer network
The GMA is an initiative of Living Cities Earth, guided by a multidisciplinary team with deep experience in governance, systems change, and leadership development.
Approach
Who We Are (Vision & Mission of GMA)
The Global Mayors Academy exists to support courageous city leadership in times of significant change and uncertainty.
Our mission is to equip mayors and civic leaders with the tools, supportive relationships, and proven strategies needed to navigate complexity and lead systemic change in their cities.
We believe leadership today can‘t be about solving today’s, next seek’s or next years’s problems but developing the capacity of city leaders to strengthening vital relationships, develop capabilities across sectors and communities and engage in renewed civic, cultural, and economic success.
"Around the world, cities are growing in size and importance, and mayors are leading the charge in addressing the most pressing issues we face, from creating jobs to fighting climate change. This program is aimed at helping them suceed."
108th mayor of NYC and founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies
Michael R. Bloomberg
Why It Matters (for Cities / City Leaders)
Cities are where the world’s biggest challenges show up first, and where new ways of living, leading, and working take root. But many city leaders are stuck managing day to day crises with tools that weren’t designed to deal with today’s complexity.
The Global Mayors Academy offers a space to step back, explore new solutions, discover what works, and move forward with greater clarity, capacity, and support. We know Leader are already under daily pressure and are time poor so we make sure we’re helping them reduce their workload not add to it, this is leading differently, with more impact and less burnout.
The Global Mayors Academy offers a space to step back, explore new solutions, discover what works, and move forward with greater clarity, capacity, and support. We know Leader are already under daily pressure and are time poor so we make sure we’re helping them reduce their workload not add to it, this is leading differently, with more impact and less burnout.
What Makes GMA Unique
• Transcontextual learning: We connect leaders across sectors, cultures, and continents to see patterns and possibilities others miss.
• Practice-based tools: Every tool is field-tested, not theory-bound. Leaders learn by doing, applying what they learn in real time.
• Inner and outer development: We support not just strategic planning, but the personal growth and emotional resilience that real change demands.
• A global peer network: Participants join a trusted group of peers working at the same level — building confidence, accountability, and collaboration that lasts beyond the programme.
• Practice-based tools: Every tool is field-tested, not theory-bound. Leaders learn by doing, applying what they learn in real time.
• Inner and outer development: We support not just strategic planning, but the personal growth and emotional resilience that real change demands.
• A global peer network: Participants join a trusted group of peers working at the same level — building confidence, accountability, and collaboration that lasts beyond the programme.
A modular, hybrid program (online + in-person summit) organized around 12 core themes
Multiple millions of city leaders and future city leaders lack skills, knowledge, worldview, power and motivation, tools and practices as well as expert guidance and peer support that could make them successful and help them lead their cities to prosperity
A curated, co-learning space with deep dialogue, practical application, and transformational frameworks
A global network of city leaders supported by networks like C40 Cities, ICLEI, Ashoka, Impact Hub, and UN-Habitat, with participation from mayors and city leaders across continents (TBC)
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Outcomes & Benefits
(what mayors/cities gain)
(what mayors/cities gain)
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