Press Release
Bangkok successfully hosted the 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors
on 11-13 March 2015.
The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration hosted the 3rd Asia Europe Meeting for Governors and Mayors on 11-13 March 2015 in Bangkok, convened by Governor of Bangkok M.R.Sukhumbhand Paribatra. More than 100 participants from 23 cities in Asia and Europe, including Astana, Bandar Seri Begawan, Berlin, Budapest, Busan, Chaozhou, Chongqing, Fukuoka Prefecture, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Lisbon, Manila, Nay Pyi Taw, Phnom Penh, Qingdao, Rotterdam, Singapore, Tallinn, Ulaanbaatar, Vientiane, and Bangkok attended the meeting. The Meeting, which continued the dialogues of the first two meetings hosted by Jakarta and Berlin in 2010 and 2012 respectively, was conducted under the theme of “ASEM Goes Local: Innovation and Regeneration”. The main objective of this meeting was to provide a forum for discussions, exchanges of experiences and best practices, and cooperation among city leaders from Asia and Europe, with the focus on sustainable urban development through innovation and regeneration in three important areas as follows:
1) Response to Impact of Environmental Issues;
2) Traffic and Transportation Management;
3) Tourism Management and Cultural Diversity.
During this three-day meeting, the leaders and representatives from 23 major cities in Asia and Europe exchanged experiences, shared ideas and showcased successful projects in sustainable urban development. In response to the impact of environmental problems, the cities demonstrated commitment to promote green growth and green technology, use clean energy, encourage citizen participation, and enforce regulations and laws. Where traffic and transportation management was concerned, they identified complex transportation systems, integrating comprehensive mass and smart transportation modes, the enforcement of laws and the improvement of infrastructure, as well as other measures such as subsidies for public transportation, as the most practical solutions. Regarding tourism management and cultural diversity, the emphasis was on the utilization of the cities' respective heritage of history and cultural diversity, along with an ecologically friendly approach, to promote successful tourism industries.
At the end of the meeting, the Governors/ Mayors and the high ranking representatives jointly adopted the Bangkok Declaration, declaring their commitment to finding sustainable solutions to common urban challenges and strengthening further the cooperative ties and dialogues on critical issues between Asia and Europe.
The 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors also provided a good opportunity for Bangkok to strengthen its relations with cities with existing cooperative ties as well as to establish new friendships with other major cities. This Meeting also reaffirmed Bangkok’s status as an important and proactive international player at the city level.
The 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors came to a successful conclusion. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and Governor M.R.Sukhumbhand Paribatra thanked all the Delegations for their attendance and active participation. The next ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors will be held in Lisbon, Portugal in 2017.
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Press Release Bangkok successfully hosted the 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors (Wednesday, March 11, 2015)
Press Release Bangkok successfully hosted the 3rd ASEM Meeting for Governors and Mayors (Wednesday, March 11, 2015)
