In times of crisis, peer-learning, knowledge exchange and community building become crucial for many cities to manage the pandemic at home. Notably, many cities are increasingly institutionalizing their engagement with local stakeholders as the basis for more inclusive decision-making that leaves no one behind. What role have city networks played here in catalyzing such actions? Why should local governments seek greater recognition in global and regional governance frameworks? During this session, we will discuss the role that city networks and collaboration have on the world stage, and we will explore how they can interfere and help to cope with global trends such as the pandemic, urban-rural migrating trends, gender disparity and climate change.