Bangkok--12 Mar--Bangkok
Bangkok is ready to host the Third ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors (ASEM-MGM) under the theme “ASEM Goes Local: Innovation and Regeneration” on March 11-13, 2015 at the Plaza Athenee Hotel, Bangkok. The meeting serves as a venue for a dialogue on the municipal level between Governors and Mayors of cities in ASEM countries in Europe and Asia.
M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, the Governor of Bangkok, said that being selected as the host of the 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors, it is such an honour for Bangkok to make the people of Thailand proud again. The ASEM-MGM is held every two years with the rotation of host cities in Asia and Europe. The first and second ASEM-MGM meetings held in the recent past in Jakarta (2010) and Berlin (2012) respectively have proved to be meaningful opportunities for cities leaders and representatives to share experiences and discuss crucial topics such as environment, urbanization, and good local governance.
“With a view to following up this successful tradition, the 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors in Bangkok will be held under the theme “ASEM Goes Local: Innovation and Regeneration”. As the theme suggests, the meeting aims to stimulate sustainable urban regeneration and innovation that addresses today’s major urban issues through the exchange of views and sharing the exemplary experiences of the major cities in Asia and Europe,” M.R. Sukhumbhand said.
There will be four core topics of urban issues that are of the common interest among all cities in these present days. The four topics are as follow: Disaster Management; Response to Impacts of Environmental Issues; Traffic and Transportation Management and Tourism Management and Cultural Diversity. The meeting will open for the city leaders from Asia and Europe to discuss, share their visions and experiences that would help solve the problems creatively.
“The world today has entered into a new phase significantly characterized and driven by knowledge, innovation, creativity, as well as concepts of inter-connectivity. City administrators are faced with traditional as well as modern challenges which have become more and more universal. The sharing of ideas and experiences on creative innovation and urban regeneration among key administrators of the major cities in Asia and Europe at the 3rd ASEM-MGM in Bangkok will hopefully be an inspiration as well as the driving force for planning and producing sustainable social, cultural as well as economic change of all cities involved,” M.R. Sukhumbhand concluded.