Dear Mayors,

Welcome to the second Global Parliament of Mayors Talent Cities blog!

Interest continues to grow in GPM Talent Cities from mayors around the world and with just as much excitement, we can add that several cities are already engaged in Talent Cities activities.  To meet the demand, the Talent Cities team is growing to include on-the-ground capacity in the States, Europe, Africa and Asia.   On-the-ground partners are selected on the basis of their local knowledge in education, industry and city government as well as important areas of specialization.  Collectively, the GPM Talent Cities team represents all the continents of GPM membership and brings together the most important of knowledge and skills for the 21st century.   It is a team that believes in the power of cities and even more, in the power of talent!

One universal specialization of this team is listening and sharing.  The team looks at cities as a whole determining how cities can best practically implement new ideas and approaches.  In today’s fast changing world, implementation is multi-layered and organic in nature serving multiple needs and audiences at once, rather than the more traditional linear approach.

So one question we are hearing: is how can a city increase spending on its talent infrastructure serving education, lifelong learning and talent needs, while at the same time reducing cost in another aspect of city life?  The answer to both questions may be sustainability.  Sustainable energy practices reduce costs of lighting, powering and transporting citizens across cities while at the same time improving safety and enhancing quality of life.  Talent sustainability follows similar practices ensuring that human potential is not wasted, that talent and dreams are realized and that cities have the human power they need to grow.  Imagine, if you will, the intersection of energy and talent sustainability in your city.  You will see libraries lit late at night for learning, innovation hubs for teams to meet virtually and physically, and talent mobility that meets the needs of city growth across GPM talent bridges.

We look forward to continuing to speak with all of you.

Thank you to all,

GPM Talent Cities Team

For more information on GPM Talent Cities, please contact Dr. Caroline SchepBaharan Andishmand or Gerri Burton