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AT THE WCS MAYORS' FORUM ON 30 JUNE 2010 AT 9.00AM
Excellencies
Distinguished Guests
1. Please allow me to warmly welcome everyone especially our guests from abroad and WCS's strategic partners Asian Development Bank, UN-HABITAT and World Bank. I am pleased also to welcome you to the inaugural WCS Mayors' Forum organised by the Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore.
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Introduction    2 We are at a challenging junction in history, faced with increasing concerns of rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change and dynamic economic situations. As city leaders, you are at the frontline in creating sustainable, liveable and prosperous communities. How can we achieve this? 3 We can begin by discussing the challenges you face, sharing our experiences and best practices and learning from one another. It is therefore timely to convene this international platform. Today we have a significant gathering of over 30 Governors and Mayors from all over the world: America, China, Europe, India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia. While circumstances may differ for each city, the thrust of the WCS Mayors' Forum is relevant to cities the world over, that is to build a sustainable learning community of mayors and cities dedicated to creating liveable communities for residents. "Leadership and Governance in Turbulent Times"4 Cities require strong leadership to steer cities through these times and inspire confidence both locally and globally. National governments control key policies but local government leaders implement agendas at the city level. Cities and international organizations are aware of the perspectives at varying levels of administration. 5 In sub-theme 1 "Leadership and Governance in Turbulent Times" we will explore how cities can rebuild confidence in times of uncertainty and crisis , seize opportunities to reposition themselves, invest and leverage on the city's development for economic gains . At the same time, mayors need to promote social cohesiveness even as the city develops, maintain equity, diversity and encourage active community participation. "Eco-friendly and Liveable Communities"6 Challenges present timely opportunities for cities to adopt innovative solutions in sustainable development. To sustain growth, the modern city has to go beyond providing the basic infrastructure needs for the present and look into creating eco-friendly and liveable communities in the long term. Practical concerns such as resource mobilization, financing strategies and funding mechanisms must also be addressed. 7 In sub-theme 2 "Eco-friendly and Liveable Communities", the cities invited to share their stories are familiar names in the international platforms. We will hear how a holistic and integrated approach is key to sustainable development and to balance economic, environmental and social needs. Our strategic partners, the ADB and WB will share initiatives that assist cities in bringing their plans to fruition. "Promoting Communities of Best Practices among Cities"8 Many cities have developed innovative solutions to mitigate some of the challenges brought about by urbanisation yet they continue to seek out solutions to resolve other challenges. Globalisation has linked the world and cities in multiple ways such as sports (and we're in the middle of the World Cup now). How then can we leverage on global platforms such as this Forum to promote communities of best practices among cities? This will be the focus for sub-theme 3. 9 I encourage you to contribute ideas on how cities can collaborate to continue to learn together. I would like to suggest how we can do so in 3 areas. First, co-organise and participate in knowledge-sharing events like smaller scale thematic workshops. Second, jointly develop training programmes and engage in capacity building for mayors and city officials. Finally, share learning resources like case studies via a on-line learning portal or through one another's networks. The Centre for Liveable Cities, the organizer of this Forum and co-organiser of the World Cities Summit will work with cities and strategic partners in the 3 areas. 10 Today's forum is focused on 2 outcomes, namely to provide a high-level forum for Mayors to exchange ideas and best practices; and identify key areas for further study and collaboration. I hope that all members would take this opportunity to actively contribute ideas. Your views and ideas will help shape the development of the WCS Mayors' Forum into a global platform for sharing of best practices. 11 For a fruitful discussion, I urge members of the forum to keep your remarks brief to allow for maximum interaction and in-depth exchanges. With this, I declare the forum open. |
