By Kay Scrimger
June 27, 2005

During the Sunday Plenary Session in Chicago, Axel Leblois, Executive Director of the International Training Center for Local Authorities and Civil Society (CIFAL Atlanta), described his organization and what it offers city leaders.

CIFAL Atlanta provides training for mayors, governors, city council members, and private sector leaders in a variety of fields, including sustainable development, the information society, and social and economic development.

CIFAL is the North American affiliate of the United National Institute for Training and Research. Leblois invited mayors to visit CIFAL's website of www.cifalatlanta.org for more information about their programs, partners, and upcoming events.

Leblois noted that the Conference of Mayors resolutions under consideration in Chicago are really the "urban agenda of major cities around the world." In terms of functions and challenges, cities grapple with the same issues, he said, "CIFAL's goal is to provide training to assist them in facing urban challenges."

The city of Atlanta, through Mayor Shirley Franklin and her staff, and Leblois have cooperated successfully on various efforts.