January 19 2005

Waitakere hosting Brazilian mayor

Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey is to host the former Mayor of one of the world’s leading cities. The immediate past Mayor of Curitiba (Brazil), Mr Cassio Taniguchi, is visiting this country en-route to an environmental conference in Australia.

Mr Harvey met Mr Taniguchi at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002 in South Africa where they talked about their shared passions, environmental and urban solutions, and made presentations to the summit’s Eco-Efficient Cities meeting.

“Cassio and I agree that cities are the engines of countries so what we do at that level is vital. Cassio and I learned a great deal from each other in 2002 and I am sure we will continue that learning experience,” says Mr Harvey.

“I am delighted Cassio and his family have taken the time on their trip to New Zealand to visit Waitakere, our wonderful beaches and our spectacular rain forest. Our cities share the same issues so we are looking at similar solutions.”

Mr Taniguchi was the first Mayor of Curitiba to have an-eight year tenure and during his term of office presided over the Metropolitan Area Association of Municipalities (ASSOMEC), an organisation that integrates 26 cities comprising the Greater Curitiba and overseeing a population of 2.7 million.

In his administration as Mayor, Mr Taniguchi promoted the implementation of Curitiba’s New Master Plan which forecasts urban and environmental sustainability, generating actions based on four strategic objectives – job and income generation, shared management (public-private partnership), metropolitan integration and social action.

Mr Taniguchi is now one of the representatives of UNITAR, United Nations for Training and Research (see cifalcuritiba.org.br/index_ing.htm).

Mr Harvey is escorting Mr Taniguchi and his family to the Arataki Visitors’ Centre on Scenic Drive in the Waitakere Ranges for a Maori welcome and blessing at 12.30pm on Friday (January 21).

The event will be attended by Waitakere City Councillors, Auckland Regional Council Representatives, and local iwi.

Following his visit to New Zealand Mr Taniguchi is taking part in the “Eco-Edge” Conference in Melbourne.

ENDS

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