NEW ORLEANS – Mayor Mitch Landrieu, at the request of His Holiness Pope Francis, will join a select group of mayors, local governors and representatives of the United Nations for a historic two-day summit at the Vatican.
The international leaders will come together to discuss solutions to global issues such as climate change, human trafficking and sustainable development. During the summit, Landrieu will offer formal remarks to the group about the challenges New Orleans has faced and how the city has become a model for resilience and sustainability. New Orleans will continue this work by releasing in August one of the world's first resilience strategies as part of its work with 100 Resilient Cities – pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation.
From July 21 – 22, 2015, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences will host a workshop entitled “Modern Slavery and Climate Change: the Commitment of the Cities” and a symposium entitled “Prosperity, People, and Planet: Achieving Sustainable Development in Our Cities."
Mayor Mitch Landrieu said, “It is an honor and privilege to join His Holiness Pope Francis as he brings together this group of international leaders for an action-oriented gathering about opportunities and challenges facing local governments. This type of honest, proactive collaboration will help create more peaceful, prosperous and resilient communities around the world."
According to the Vatican, the two crucial issues of modern slavery and climate change will be discussed for the first time by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences in conjunction with representatives from the world’s most important cities. The Vatican says the event aims to raise the awareness among world leaders of the challenges and measures necessary in fighting climate change and modern slavery in local communities.
Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo of Argentina, who is a host of the conference, said, “As Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, I want to warmly welcome the mayors to the Vatican on July 21-22 for a candid and courageous conversation about ending social and environmental exploitation, two major global crises that remain pervasive and largely unmitigated. As the legitimate representatives of their citizens, mayors are well-positioned to educate, empower and engage them around the world to prevent any further objectification of people and the planet. The time is now for local leadership. Given how much human trafficking and human-induced global warming is happening at the city level, we are turning to the mayors because we believe they provide real leadership, as we work together to ensure that the earth and those who dwell on it are no longer treated as expendable.”
Dr. Jeffrey Sachs, director of The Earth Institute, Quetelet professor of sustainable development, and professor of health policy and management at Columbia University, is also hosting a special symposium of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network on Cities and the Sustainable Development Agenda. This special symposium will bring together local government leaders and leading urban development practitioners to consider how cities, urban areas and regions can drive the implementation of the new sustainable development agenda and forge a roadmap for their realization. Mayors and other participants will consider the challenges of social inclusion, economic development and environmental preservation including cities’ carbon commitments. They will reflect upon deeper partnerships with national governments and citizens, governance arrangements and a new financial architecture that will empower cities to accelerate the SDG implementation process.
Dr. Sachs said, “The symposium will help cities around the world to get a jump-start on the Sustainable Development Goals to be adopted by the world's nations in September. The SDGs are a moral compact for the right kind of development: inclusive, pro-poor, and environmentally sustainable. Leading mayors, religious leaders, and urban experts will share views on the way forward.”
New Orleans was in the inaugural group of cities selected in 2013 to join 100 Resilient Cities – pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping cities all over the world build resilience to the social, physical and economic challenges they face. 100RC provides this assistance through funding for a Chief Resilience Officer who leads the City's resilience efforts; resources for drafting a resilience building strategy; access to private sector, public sector and NGO-created resilience tools; and membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and challenges. New Orleans will be the first 100RC city to complete a resilience strategy, which is fitting since the City's work with the Foundation in the wake of Hurricane Katrina was part of the inspiration for creating 100RC. Through this network, New Orleans will learn from cities around the world and also teach them.
