Bristol, November, 2018 – The General Meeting of the Global Parliament of Mayors has appointed Patricia de Lille, former mayor of Cape Town (South Africa), Jozias van Aartsen, former mayor of The Hague and Amsterdam (the Netherlands), and Ed Johnson, former mayor of Asbury Park (USA), as the first Honorary Members of the Global Parliament of Mayors.
Former Mayor de Lille, one of the founding mayors of the GPM, is honoured for her inspirational leadership as GPM Chair. She chaired the GPM from the 1st of March 2017 until 22 October 2018. De Lille succeeded former Mayor van Aartsen who chaired the GPM from its Inaugural Convening in September 2016 until he stepped down as mayor of The Hague in March 2017. As interim mayor of Amsterdam van Aartsen remained a true ambassador of the GPM. Former mayor Ed Johnson is honoured for his consistent and outstanding support to GPM from its start in 2016, and his active contribution in the GPM events.
The GPM Honorary Membership is installed by the GPM General Meeting in October 2018 and will be granted to mayors and former mayors in recognition of their special services to the GPM. Former mayors de Lille, van Aartsen and Johnson are the first mayors who have received the GPM Honorary Membership.