The City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Sister Cities Commission (ASCC) will welcome 11 of Atlanta’s international sister cities for the first Economic Development Global Partnership Conference on October 19 and 20 at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce.
The opening program commences at 9:00 a.m. with a welcome address by Mayor Franklin followed by a mayors’ panel reviewing the major conference themes.
Participants will share best practices and innovative strategies that will help metro Atlanta and other sister cities across the world plan ahead for future economic growth.
“This conference is an excellent opportunity for us to learn best practices and to have a better understanding of economic opportunities as well as the barriers to economic growth and partnership,” said Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin.
Sister city relationships promote cultural, academic and technical exchanges. In 2004, the City of Atlanta developed a five-year initiative that looked at ways to explore and develop new business ties and investment opportunities with its sister cities.
“The Atlanta Sister Cities Conference reinforces our efforts to expand Atlanta’s reach around the world as a leading international center to live and do business,” said Sam A. Williams, president of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. “Strengthening the Sister City program is a key tool for global economic development.”
The ASCC is in cooperation with CIFAL Atlanta, the only North American affiliate of the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
Utilizing an integrated approach developed by UNITAR, the conference will broaden city officials’ knowledge of economic development practices and enable a better understanding of international marketplace conditions. Participants include senior economic development officials along with mayors and vice mayors from 16 cities.
The conference will explore approaches to leveraging economic development through
- business innovation
- educational partnerships
- transportation
- urban growth and renewal
- urban health and safety
- tourism development
“We are pleased to be an organizing partner with the City of Atlanta and ASCC for this important event,” said CIFAL Program Director Sebastian Mathews. “Participating cities will walk away with best practices for economic development from some of the leading experts in the field as well as colleagues from other municipalities that have a proven track record of success.”
Participating sister cities include: Ancient Olympia, Greece; Daegu, South Korea; Fukuoka, Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; Montego Bay, Jamaica; Nuremberg, Germany; Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago; Ra’anana, Israel; Salcedo, Dominican Republic; Toulouse, France; and Taipei, Taiwan. Other participating cities include: Bangalore, India; Córdoba, Argentina; Dalian, and Ningbo, People’s Republic of China; Pietermaritzburg, South Africa; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
As part of the City of Atlanta’s inclusive and participatory approach to economic development, the conference was organized with the support of the Atlanta City Council’s Advisory Committee on International Relations (ACIR), the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, the Atlanta Development Authority, the Georgia Department of Economic Development; as well as The Coca Cola Company, Georgia Power, Hemisphere Inc., Arnall Golden Gregory LLP, Miller & Martin, Georgia State University J. Mack Robinson College of Business, Reece and Associates, and Ambassador and Mrs. Andrew Young.
For more information on the conference, visit the CIFAL Atlanta web site at www.cifalatlanta.org.
The Atlanta Sister Cities Commission was created by the Atlanta City Council in 1974. ASCC fosters global cooperation and understanding, cultural awareness and economic development through its sister city relationships with 18 municipalities in Europe, Africa, the Caribbean, Latin America, Northeast Asia, and the Middle East.
CIFAL Atlanta, a North American center of the United Nations Institute for Research and Training (UNITAR), partnered with the City of Atlanta in 2005 to deploy international programs for local authorities and civil society leaders throughout the Western Hemisphere and the world.
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) -- with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers -- is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber focuses on the issues that matter most to the business community: improving quality of life, promoting economic growth and making Atlanta a brand name that means opportunity.
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For more information about this and services of the City of Atlanta visit our website at www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26