Washington, DC – This weekend, from November 9th to 11th, a delegation of mayors from the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) will join dozens of mayors representing cities from across the globe at the Global Parliament of Mayors (GPM) in Durban, South Africa. The annual summit will bring together city leaders and international experts to discuss city leadership and global challenges at the local level.

“The most critical challenges that we’re going to face in this decade will be solved at the local level in our cities and communities,” said Bryan K. Barnett, USCM President and Mayor of Rochester Hills, Michigan. “We are proud to represent America’s mayors in the important discussions that will take place at this year’s Global Parliament of Mayors. Only by continuing to share experiences and learn from one another, both within and outside of our own borders, will we address the pressing issues our communities face today.”

The GPM Summit unites mayors across the globe by driving them to take collective positions that will create better solutions for citizens across the world. The Summit will also highlight city-to-city cooperation on a global scale and serve as a place where local leaders can advocate for cities and city networks to be formally represented in international frameworks.

This year the GPM Summit will focus on ‘Empowering Cities for the 2020s, a decade of change: shaping multi-level governance on a global scale.’ Within this framework, four primary topics will be discussed: migration, urban security, health and global governance. Position papers and draft resolutions on each of themes will be shared at the Summit and serve as the foundation for plenary debates, polling rounds and the final voting session.

The delegation from the U.S. Conference of Mayors will include:

  • Bryan K. Barnett, USCM President and Mayor of Rochester Hills, Michigan, who will deliver a keynote speech on Sunday, November 10th.

 

  • Nan Whaley, USCM Second Vice President and Mayor of Dayton, Ohio, who will participate in the Urban Security Session on Sunday, November 10th.

 

  • Steve Benjamin, USCM Past President and Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, who serves on the Executive Committee of the GPM and will participate in the Executive Committee meeting on Saturday, November 9th.

 

  • Elizabeth B. Kautz, USCM Past President and Mayor of Burnsville, Minnesota, who will participate in the Public Health Session on Sunday, November 10th.

 

  • Christopher L. Cabaldon, USCM Advisory Board Member and Mayor of West Sacramento, California, who will participate in the Digital Democracy Session on Monday, November 11th.

Find the full post here: https://www.usmayors.org/2019/11/09/u-s-delegation-of-mayors-to-attend-global-parliament-of-mayors-in-durban-south-africa/