MIAMI – Mayors from throughout the United States, South America, Central America, and the Caribbean will gather in Miami from September 24-26, 2006 for the first Mayors Hemispheric Forum, hosted by City of Miami Mayor Manny Diaz.
The two day forum will allow an accomplished group of Mayors to share best practices, regional insight and engage pressing issues of mutual interest. Discussion topics include the public safety of urban residents, the latest developments in urban design, energy diversity and environmental initiatives, and both the opportunities and challenges faced by cities in new global economies.
The Mayors and a group of world renowned experts will exchange experiences and provide innovative solutions to urban concerns. Forum participants include the leaders of Santiago, Lima, Asuncion, Chacao (Caracas), Guayaquil, Kingston, Panama City, Port au Prince, San Juan, Quito, San Jose (Costa Rica) and Santo Domingo.
Additional special guests include Mr. Daniel Scioli, Vice-President of the Republic of Argentina, Mr. Jaime Lerner, architect, urban planner and former Governor of Parana, Brazil, Mr. Hugo Acero Velazquez, former Deputy of Security for the City of Bogota, and columnist and author Andres Oppenheimer.
Representatives of multilateral financial institutions such as the Inter-American Development Bank (BID) and the Andean Development Corporation (CAF) will provide their expertise in funding economic, social and institutional development projects in Latin America and abroad, setting the course for sustainable urban growth through trade and regional integration programs.
Facilitating the forum is a list of renowned think tanks who will serve as partner organizations of the Mayors Hemispheric Forum and assuredly provide a high level of discourse. These groups include the US Conference of Mayors, the Mayors’ Institute on City Design, CEOs for Cities and the Police Executive Research Forum.
