HONOLULU (March 22, 2010) – Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann and four metropolitan leaders from Asia will present a free public forum on the growing global role of cities Tues. March 30 at the East-West Center. The forum, titled “Cities Rising: The International Role of the Metropolis Today,” will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Center’s Hawai‘i Imin International Conference Center (Jefferson Hall, 1777 East-West Road.)

Joining Hannemann will be the Hon. M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Governor of Bangkok; the Hon. Dr. Ing. H. Fauzi Bowo, Governor of Jakarta; the Hon. Tang Jie, Vice Mayor of Shenzhen; and the Hon. Lin Chien-yuan, Deputy Mayor of Taipei.

The forum is being presented in connection with the East-West Center’s three-day Urban Asia Seminar, which brings together experts and municipal leaders from the region to discuss how urban centers and metropolitan regions are adapting to current economic realities while simultaneously preparing for future growth. Besides the forum panelists, other attendees at the March 29-31 seminar include officials and specialists from Pakistan, the Philippines, Vietnam, India, Los Angeles, New York and more. More information about the Urban Asia Seminar is at www.EastWestCenter.org/urbanizationasiaseminar .

Background:
With more than half of the world's population now settled in metropolitan areas, the growing importance of cities has created new opportunities for city leaders to participate in world affairs and influence global issues. As a result, they are becoming an essential component in the “bottom-up” formulation of global polices on issues such as environmental sustainability, economic growth, social equity, and quality of life. The panelists will discuss how their cities can address these critical global challenges.

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The EAST-WEST CENTER was established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to promote better relations and understanding between the United States and the nations of Asia and the Pacific region. For 50 years, the Center has served as a vigorous hub for cooperative research, education, and dialogue on critical issues of common concern. It provides a meeting ground where people with a wide range of perspectives exchange views and experience for the purpose of strengthening policy options in the Asia Pacific region.