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Urban Forum of UN Millennium Development Goals held in Langfang

 

 

The main event of the Urban Forum of the UN Millennium Development Goals was held at the Langfang International Hotel, during the 15th China International Ecological Construction and Urban Development Exposition. This event was jointly organized by the UNDP, UN-HABITAT and UNEP. The IMCC, UN Pavilion of Shanghai Expo and Langfang Municipal Government undertook the job of running forum. Many prominent participants including Secretary General of G20 Research Center Mr. Long Yongtu, Chief Economist of Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development Mr. Li Bingren, Minister of Urban Economy and Finance Branch of UN-HABITAT Mr. Zhang Xingquan and Nobel laureate Robert A. Mundell participated in this event. Mr. Song Enhua, Vice Governor of the province, delivered the commencement address.

 

In the year 2000, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals with the aim of increasing human well being by targeting poverty, starvation, illness, illiteracy, environmental degradation and discrimination against women. This Urban Forum focused on methods of enhancing urban sustainability during the process of urbanization, promoting global cooperation through research and exchange and searching for innovative ways to achieve the millennium development goals. Provincial Vice Governor Mr. Song indicated that to achieve this target in Hebei province, the urbanization process would need to accelerate. With this goal in mind, Hebei province is making a substantial effort to modernize its current urban development methods and improve the well being of its citizens, to quicken the urbanization process. While the city has modernized dramatically since 2007, a series of obstacles including environment pollution, traffic congestion, housing shortages and the gap between urban and rural development, remain. Mr. Song expected to seek solutions to his urban development obstacles through implementing best practices and leveraging advances in technology.

 

All the participants in this forum discussed the strategies to achieve harmonious city development. They attended sessions entitled “UN Millennium Development Goals and China Urban Development”, “The Relationship That Balance Urbanization Process and Global Economic Development”, “Environment Is the Competitive Strength of Urban Sustainable Development” and “Establishing The Safety Economic Management System Of Urban Development”. Gerd Schwandner the Mayor of Oldenburg Germany, Mr. Obed Mlaba the Mayor of Durban South Africa, Mr. Lu Bing the Vice Mayor of Nanjing and Mr. Xiao Shuangsheng the Vice-Mayor of Langfang were on hand to share their experiences on the topic of urban development. Each speaker was able to provide a different blueprint of a harmonious city, giving attendees a diverse and global view of the adoption of the UN Millennium Development Goals.

 

Robert A. Mundell, Winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics delivered a speech on

“The Relationship Between Balancing Urbanization Progress And Global Economic Development”.

 

Gerd Schwandner, Mayor of Oldenburg Germany delivered a speech on

“Environment Is The Competitive Strength Of Urban Sustainable Development”.

 

Mr. Long Yongtu, Secretary of G20 Research Center for

China Urban Development and UN Millennium Development Goals presents his research.

 

Mr. Li Bingren, Chief Economist of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development

gave a speech on “Low-Carbon: The Essential Choice Of Urban Development And Urbanization In China”.