Cités Unies France (CUF), “French United local governments” is a federation of French local and regional governments involved in international relations and, in particular, in decentralized co-operation. Its members become automatically members of the world organisation United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), based in Barcelona. Cités Unies France was created in 1975; its president is M. Ries, Mayor of Strasbourg. Cités Unies France aims at promoting local democracy, peace, international solidarity, and a strong and genuine participation of the population in local affairs. It also firmly believes cities and other levels of local and regional government can only win by exchanging on challenges that face them all over the world.