60 Mayors from Around the
World to Gather in Jerusalem

(IFM) 60 mayors from five continents will gather in Jerusalem as the guests of Mayor Uri Lupolianski for a four-day conference aimed at tackling some of the toughest challenges facing mayors of modern cities.

"During this Conference we will have a unique opportunity to reflect on the pressing issues that concern all mayors every day, everywhere," said Mayor Lupolianski. "We plan on discussing the special role that mayors have as leaders of cities that that impact both their home countries and beyond."

This is the 26th annual Jerusalem Conference of Mayors. The Conference is sponsored by the Council for World Jewry and the American Jewish Congress in conjunction with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in close association with the City of Jerusalem. During their stay in Israel’s capital, the mayors will be briefed by leading experts from both the private and public sectors and hold group discussions about ways to utilize environmental and high-tech innovations to improve the quality of life in urban areas. In addition to formal sessions, the mayors will also visit the Holy City’s cultural and religious sites, and tour some of Jerusalem’’s leading high-tech companies.

Participating mayors include: Albuquerque, Antwerp, Addis Ababa, Turin, Wroclaw, Entebbe, and Suva in the Fiji Islands. "The fact that these mayors come from so many locations creates a unique opportunity to share diverse views on the challenges and opportunities that today’s world presents to the cities of the world," stated Jack Rosen, Chairman of the American Jewish Congress and the Council of World Jewry. "At the same time, this important annual event promotes dialogue and a strengthening of relations between Israel and the other countries of the world in a way that rarely occurs at other forums."