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CHICAGO, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Some 19 mayors from around the world attended a mayoral forum held in Chicago on Monday to discuss the potential of waterways on urban development.
The 19 mayors represent 45 million people from 12 countries in five continents.
The forum featured two discussion panels, focusing on economic opportunity and innovative ways cities are approaching economic development with an eye on non-traditional uses of their waterways, as well as on environmental protection and projects around the world utilizing waterways to push environmental efforts critical to cities in the 21st century.
Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo co-hosted the forum.
"I thank for the opportunity to share our vision, our vision of cities which have rivers, and need to work and to transform," Paris Mayor Hidalgo said when addressing the forum.
Chicago Mayor Emanuel called for participating cities to learn from each other, and "we look at what everybody else is doing."
Both Chicago and Paris have certain experiences in making good use of their rivers. Chicago has committed to increase access to and the recreational opportunities on the river, and has recently extended its Riverwalk by 2 km and completed a fourth boat house.
Paris has pedestrianized the banks of the River Seine, creating a unique space for Parisians and visitors to enjoy the iconic parts of the city.
Huang Kai, Vice Chairman from Shenyang Municipal People's Congress, attended the forum, saying Shenyang would like to learn from other cities "to shoulder by shoulder create a wonderful home where human and nature live in harmony."
The forum has acted as a platform for mayors to exchange ideas and solutions on mixed-use development projects so that waterfront land can be activated to simultaneously generate direct and indirect economic, environmental and social benefits for the city as a whole.
