Palermo Mayor elected as Co-chairperson for UN programme

  PALERMO — The Mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando, was elected Wednesday as Co-chairperson, responsible for Europe and Africa for the United Nations Programme “Safer cities”, set up by the UN Agency “Habitat”. 

  Orlando will be joined by the mayors of Bogota, Gustavo Petro (responsible for the Americas) and of St. Fernando in the Philippines, Mary Jane Ortega (responsible for Asia and Oceania) and he will coordinate an advice committee, comprised of the mayors of Johannesburg, Durban, Rosario, Quito, Guadalajara, Abidjan, Nairobi, Seoul and Quezon. 

  The Safer cities Programme was launched in 1996 at the request of the mayors of a handful of large cities committed to tackling urban crime and violence. To date, UN Habitat has supported initiatives in 77 cities in 24 countries in the world. 

  The programme addresses the issue of security in a holistic way, connecting the themes of urban planning, liveability, services to citizens, climate change and sustainable mobility. 

  “My election to the office of Co-President of this important international body” said Orlando “is a recognition not only for the work done in my own city, but also it is for all the mayors in Italy that on a daily occurrence face the challenge of sustainable development in their own communities, in which conflicts are growing, due to the economic crisis and cuts in resources.”

“Our cities and the experience gained over many years of commitment against crime and corruption, and especially to improve the quality of life for the citizens, represent a model, that can be applied to other situations in the world, focusing on cooperating and the exchange of good practice.”