By Judy Sheahan
June 7, 2004

Conference of Mayors President Hempstead Mayor James A. Garner led a delegation of Mayors from the United States to participate in the 22nd Jerusalem Conference of Mayors meeting from May 9-15. Twenty-seven Mayors from 16 countries met in Jerusalem to discuss the role of the Mayor in times of crisis including acts of terror, genocide, natural disaster, and other catastrophes. Delegates from the United States joining Mayor Garner were Cleveland Mayor Jane Campbell, Azusa (CA) Mayor Cristina Cruz-Madrid, Redmond Mayor Rosemarie Ives, Billings Mayors Charles Tooley, Sugar Land Mayor David Wallace, Englewood (NJ) Mayor Michael Wildes, San Leandro Mayor Shelia Young, and Oneida County Executive Joseph Griffo.

Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski discussed the ways his city dealt with the continuing issues of terrorism. "With a crisis, there is a time for leadership," Lupolianski said, "the people look to you to calm them down, to give direction, and to try to go back to a normal life." He stressed the need to take responsibility and control of the situation, demonstrate emotional empathy, and act rapidly and efficiently.

Garner discussed his city's proximity to the World Trade Center site and the effect it had on his citizens. He also discussed, along with Mayor Campbell, the blackout event last summer that hit the upper Midwest and Northeast and the fears that it was another terrorist attack. They discussed the importance of using the media to help disseminate information to their citizens to reassure them.

The Mayor of Kigali, Rwanda, Theoneste Mutsindashyaka, talked about Rwanda's efforts to deal with the situation that happened ten years ago where one million people were killed in 100 days. He discussed their attempts to move beyond that massacre to a point where people can ask for forgiveness and that forgiveness is given. "The cycle of revenge must stop or it would be an unending cycle," the Mayor said.

The Mayors met with Israel's Deputy Prime Minister of Industry, Trade, Labor and Communications, the former Mayor of Jerusalem Ehud Olmert. Olmert discussed the financial impact that terrorism had on the region due to the drop in the number of tourists and the emotional impact on its citizens. "As tragic as the Twin Towers, that was one day," Olmert said, "here terrorism is regularly repeated." "You show courage by showing up," Olmert told the Mayors, "it is not as dangerous of a place but perception, fueled by the media, keeps people away."

The U.S. delegation met with the United States Ambassador to Israel, Dan Kurtzer. Kurtzer talked about President Bush's ongoing support for disengagement between the Palestinians and Israelis. When asked by the Mayors what they could do to help the peace process, Kurtzer encouraged them to engage in dialogues back in their cities between Muslims and Jews. "Create a dialogue and relationships between the constituencies," Kurtzer said, "that dialogue will go back to the relatives that they have here and hopefully promote a better understanding."

The Mayors were briefed on Jerusalem's efforts in emergency services and security technology as well as touring the Hadassah Medical Center, the IDF Home Front Command Center, and they saw the new security walls that are being built throughout Israel.

The Mayors toured Yad Sarah that was founded by Mayor Lupolianski in the 1970s when he was a high school teacher. Yad Sarah is the largest volunteer organization in Israel with 102 branches and over 6,000 volunteers. Their best-known service is lending medical equipment to those who are in need but they also provide transportation for the disabled, personal alarms systems for the elderly, and outreach to the homebound. The Mayors volunteered to assemble walkers for the elderly.

The Mayors visited Yad Vashem Martyrs' and Heroes' Memorial and participated in a flower laying ceremony and they planted trees in the Grove of the Mayors of the World. They also had the opportunity to visit the Golan Heights, the Dead Sea, Nazareth, the Jordan River, the Sea of Galilee, and Masada. Local Israeli families also hosted mayors for Sabbath dinner.

At the farewell dinner Mayor Garner presented to Mayor Lupolianski a letter signed by all the Mayors. Garner said, "While we were here we got a sense of the tragic toll that terrorism is taking on the nation and on its people. We joined all Israelis in feeling sorrow at the loss of 13 soldiers in Gaza while we were here. Yet with these and other losses we could not help but be impressed by the resilience of the Israeli people and their unwillingness to give in to terrorism." "We hope that a way soon can be found to reduce violence in the region and to achieve a peaceful resolution of the differences that exist," Garner said, "we know that peace will lead to a better life for both Israelis and Palestinians."

The Jerusalem Mayors' Conference was co-sponsored by the American Jewish Congress, the Municipality of Jerusalem, Israel's Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, along with The U.S. Conference of Mayors.

For more information, please see the Conference's website at usmayors.org.