By Kay Scrimger
September 27, 2004

Conference President Akron Mayor Donald L. Plusquellic and Advisory Board Chair Dearborn Mayor Michael A. Guido, accompanied by Executive Director Tom Cochran, participated in the Second World Urban Forum of UN-HABITAT, held in Barcelona, Spain, September 13-17.

The more than 3,000 delegates in attendance were from local governments, non-governmental organizations, and national governments as well as other organizations specializing in urban issues from around the world.

Held every two years, the World Urban Forum is dedicated to the goal of addressing the world's transition to an urban world. This year's theme posed the question: "Cities: Crossroads of Cultures, Inclusiveness, and Integration?"

According to UN-HABITAT Executive Director, Anna K. Tibaijuka, the World Urban Forums is an opportunity to examine the challenges posed by globalization and rapid urbanization, particularly their impact upon those who live in poverty.

Plusquellic Gives Keynote Address at Opening Plenary Session

Plusquellic addressed the Opening Plenary Session at the World Urban Forum on Monday morning, September 13. He described the work of the Conference of Mayors, including its:

• Strong advocacy for urban areas, ranging from "promoting the importance of environmental protection, better housing, and better transportation systems to sustainable development principles and a range of other issues critical to cities;"
• International outreach, which, under Executive Director Cochran's leadership, has focused upon assisting other nations with developing strong mayoral associations; holding Trans'Atlantic Meetings with French and German mayors in 2000-2001; forming an international network of mayors, culminating in International Mayoral Summits in 2002 and 2003; and cooperation with Metropolis, the organization of world cities of a million or more population, led by Mayor Joan Clos of Barcelona; and
• Systematic body of research about how urban areas contribute to economic growth and viability — the Metro Economies studies. Conference of Mayors' analysis indicates that 1) the economic health and security of the U.S. depends upon economic growth and jobs created in metro areas; and 2) central cities and suburbs must find new ways to cooperate in order to maintain metro viability.

Plusquellic cited statistical findings from Conference of Mayors' Metro Economies studies that indicate that U.S. metropolitan areas generate over 85 percent of the nation's employment, income, and production of goods and services. In addition, over the past ten years, metro areas in the U.S. have generated 87 percent of national economic growth. He also pointed out that the most innovative public policies are developed at the local level.

Other speakers at the Opening Ceremony included Mayor Joan Clos of Barcelona; Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Russian Federation; H.E. Rafic Hariri, Prime Minister of Lebanon; Anna K. Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT; Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland; and Denis Shea, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and head of the U.S. government delegation to the World Urban II.

Guido Participates in Habitat for Humanity Networking Session Workshop Addressing Issue of "Housing for All in the New Millennium"

Guido participated in a World Urban Forum workshop organized by Habitat for Humanity on Monday afternoon, September 13.

He discussed the major role that the U.S. Conference of Mayors has always played in housing. "Our concern for housing," he emphasized "has been second only to employment, which served as the principal issue that led to the creation of the Conference of Mayors in 1933."

Guido described the two-day housing summit of the Conference of Mayors in 2002, when more than 140 mayors and housing experts met to forge a national housing policy.

He also outlined the challenging problem of the homeless in the United States, citing statistics from Conference of Mayors' annual surveys on the homeless.

Guido also noted that, "One of the most significant ways mayors have found to address the problems cited is the work that we all do with Habitat for Humanity." He pointed out that at the Conference's Annual Meetings the opening activity is construction of a home for a family in which mayors, members of Congress, HUD officials, Freddie Mac executives and Habitat for Humanity local volunteers work on the home.

He concluded, "We look forward to participating in future international conferences and networks that are developed to address housing issues."

Conference Leaders Meet with UN-HABITAT Executive Director Tibaijuka and with Barcelona Mayor Joan Clos

The Conference Leaders and Tom Cochran also had private meetings with key officials at the World Urban Forum.

Tibaijuka expressed her appreciation to Tom Cochran for the opportunity to meet with him in New York in April to discuss the participation of the Conference of Mayors leaders in World Urban Forum in Barcelona. In that meeting, among other topics, Cochran had briefed Tibaijuka on the Conference of Mayors' Mayoral Mission September 2003 to Africa addressing the challenges of HIV/AIDS.

Tibaijuka said that she would like to work with the Conference of Mayors to find specific areas for future cooperation and action, especially on the issue of HIV/AIDS in Africa. We would like joint action that is "tangible and practical," the Conference delegation and Tibaijuka concluded.

In a private meeting with Clos, Plusquellic, Guido and Executive Director Cochran discussed the Conference of Mayors'Metropolis relationship to date and ideas for continuing collaboration and information-sharing in the future. Clos is President of Metropolis, an organization that brings together mayors and other officials of cities of the world with a population of a million or more. "Most of the mayors of the world would like to see and interact with more U.S. mayors, Clos said. Josep Roig, Secretary General of Metropolis, also participated in the meeting.

Conference Participates in Workshop "Good Urban Governance in an Environment of HIV/AIDS"

Conference staff Kay Scrimger participated in the Friday workshop "Good Urban Governance in an Environment of HIV/AIDS." She had the opportunity to 1) discuss the Conference of Mayors Mayoral Mission to Africa in September 2003, when nine U.S. mayors led by then-President James A. Garner went to Namibia, Uganda, Swaziland, and South Africa to work with counterpart mayors on the challenges of HIV/AIDS; 2) outline follow up activities; and 3) goals for the future.

The moderator of the workshop was Mina Mauerstein-Bail, Director of UN-AMICAALL Partnership Program. UN-AMICAALL is a key Conference of Mayors partner in its work in Africa on HIV/AIDS. Another panelist was Her Worship Nokutula Mthembu, Mayor of Ezulwini, Swaziland, whom the Conference of Mayors delegation had met when in Swaziland in September 2003. She noted that the percentage of Swazi citizens now afflicted with HIV/AIDS is 39 percent.