By Rhonda Spears
June 7, 2004

Conference President Hempstead (NY) Mayor James A. Garner and Conference Executive Director Tom Cochran participated in the third annual Glocalization Conference, May 16 and 17 in Rome, Italy. The two-day conference brought together more than 50 mayors from around the world, including Washington (DC) Mayor Anthony A. Williams, Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown representing San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, as well as heads of state, foreign ministers, municipal leaders, and other officials from both public and private sectors.

The Glocalization Conference, which was hosted by Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni, is an outcome of the collaboration between the Glocal Forum and the Municipality of Rome. The conference focused this year on the needs of children in conflict areas and stressed the importance of city-to-city participation in improving the living conditions of children around the world.

"We are pleased to be a part of the 3rd Annual Glocalization Conference. We recognize that when mayors come together from around the world to share best practices and learn from each other, we can make a difference in the lives of children and citizens everywhere," said Garner.

Other participants in the conference included top leaders from international organizations such as the World Bank President James D. Wolfensohn and many United Nations organizations who came together to discuss taking a decentralized approach to assisting children in need.

A highlight of this year's conference was the "We Are the Future" world-wide televised concert organized by Quincy Jones. The concert, which featured an international line-up of performers, launched the "We Are the Future" project that will provide aid and assistance to children in cities around the world.