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CMAO at the ICLEI World Congress 2006: Out of Africa – Local Challenges to Global Solutions

About 700 delegates from around the world gathered at recently concluded The ICLEI World Congress 2006: Out of Africa – Local Challenges to Global Solutions in Cape Town, South Africa during 27 February to 3 March, 2006. This, the first World Congress held in the southern hemisphere, was an unparalleled success. A content-rich and thought-provoking program organized around the themes of Protecting Global Common Goods, Building Sustainable Communities & Cities, and Implementation Instruments .The City of Cape Town served as a most gracious host of the event.
 This year with invitation from ICLEI South Asia Dr. Arun Kumar Panda, IAS, President, City Managers’ Association Orissa participated in the ICLEI World Congress. Dr. Panda presented three projects papers of CMAO at the World Congress.
The Congress officially opened with some impressive speakers: the Executive Mayor of Cape Town Ms. Nomaindia Mfeketo, Executive Mayor of Johannesburg Mr. Amos Masondo, and senior representatives from UNDP, UNEP, and the World Conservation Union.   The Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South Africa, Mr. Marthinus van Schalkwyk, made the following remarks in his speech: “Local action for sustainable development is about much more than environmental issues. In a developing country like South Africa, it is an expansive terrain inviting innovation, investment, and entrepreneurship. The responsibility to ensure that sustainable and responsible alternatives are developed lies as much with local government as it does with states and nations.”
ICLEI donated funds for compensating the CO2 emissions from traveling to the World Congress in Cape Town, these funds will enable Cape Town to develop a substantial Carbon offset legacy project for ICLEI (in the form of adding solar water heaters and other energy efficient devices to low-income homes in Kuyasa in the township of Khayelitsha). Bhubaneswar city also contributed to an important social development project in Cape Town – the Nelson Mandela Peace Park at Delft by donating soccer ball.
The Congress ended with empowering words by ICLEI President David Cadman, and a shared commitment to further the principles of sustainable development through ICLEI’s programs
 The conference gave an opportunity to the City Managers Association Orissa to interact with the international delegations and staff of ICLEI towards strengthening the organization in India. Attending the conference was useful in many ways such as learning & sharing, motivation and role of environmental issues in city management.