Mayor Furey to Represent Torrance in China

The City Council will determine this coming Tuesday whether to approve the attendance of Mayor Furey at the upcoming Global Mayors’ Forum (GMF) to be held in Shenzhen, China.  The area of Shenzhen was one of China’s first – and most successful – Special Economic Zones.

The trip may also provide an opportunity for Mayor Furey to visit the international headquarters in Japan of Toyota and Honda.  Preliminary estimates for travel related expenses amount to $5,000 that will be appropriated from the City’s Economic Development Fund.

The GMF is billed as a high-end global forum for sustainable urban development that promotes dialogue on sustainable urbanization and facilitates a network of cities that practice green industry zones.  The mission of the GMF is to bridge cultural differences and help cities around the world work together to achieve sustainable urban development.

The GMF is co-organized by the World Urban Campaign, an organization whose mission is to prioritize the “urban agenda” at the highest level in development policies.  They achieve that mission by engaging and mobilizing partners around the world from every walk of life.

The agenda for the 5 day event to be held 01 November through 05 November includes such topics as: Reducing Carbon Footprints, Building on Eco Systems, Promoting Sustainable Production and Consumption, Mitigating Climate Change, and Guiding Smart Growth.