2008 Jerusalem Conference of Mayors to Focus on Improving Quality of Life in Cities

A delegation of six U.S. mayors will travel to Israel in mid-September for the 26th Annual Jerusalem Conference of Mayors, which is hosted by Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski. The meeting is sponsored by the Council for World Jewry and the American Jewish Congress, which also covers the costs of the mayors' participation, and is supported by The U.S. Conference of Mayors and Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

"In sponsoring this annual gathering of mayors from around the world we hope to give them a fresh and open look at Jerusalem, and a new understanding of Israel and its achievements," said Jack Rosen, Chairman of the American Jewish Congress and the Council for World Jewry.

"For 26 years, the American Jewish Congress has worked closely with the U.S. Conference of Mayors to bring some of America's greatest leaders, its mayors, to Jerusalem. This has been a truly rewarding experience for all," said American Jewish Congress President Richard S. Gordon. "We look forward to working with USCM in the years ahead in continuing to bring outstanding leaders to Israel. We have found that in addition to learning a lot about Israel in general and Jerusalem specifically, the mayors learn a tremendous amount about other mayors and best practices from around the world. In addition, a number of the mayors have been able to use their experience in Israel as the first step in a process to attract Israeli investment to their communities. We are thrilled that these trips have been so beneficial to American mayors, their international counterparts and to Israelis alike," Gordon continued.

In Jerusalem, the U.S. delegation will be joined by approximately 40 mayors from cities in South America, the Caribbean, Europe, and Africa. Included among these are the Mayors of Antwerp, Belgium; Santiago de Cali, Colombia; Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Budapest, Hungary; Kingston, Jamaica; Nairobi, Kenya; Krakow, Poland; Freetown, Sierra Leone; and Kampala, Uganda. The theme of this year's conference is the role of the mayor in improving the quality of life.

The mayors will participate in round-table sessions that will explore topics such as environmental urban innovations, municipal services and quality of life, and implementing green municipal infrastructures, and will visit a high-tech complex in Jerusalem to learn about environmental high-tech innovations. The mayors will tour both historic and modern sites in Jerusalem, and visit Yad Vashem, the holocaust memorial; the Hadassah Hospital; and Yad Sarah, a social services facility in Jerusalem.

The U.S. delegation includes Martin Chavez, Mayor of Albuquerque; Roger J. Katz, Mayor of Augusta (Maine); Eddie A. Perez, Mayor of Hartford; Virg Bernero, Mayor of Lansing; Karl Dean, Mayor of Nashville; and Bob Walkup, Mayor of Tucson.