The International Mayor In March, 2009, the Mayor of Beit Sahour, Mr. Hani Al Hayek, traveled to Istanbul, Turkey; Clichy-la-Garenne, France; and Xanten, Germany. In Istanbul the Mayor attended the 5th Annual Water Forum, which took place from March 16-22, 2009. The Forum serves as a platform for dialogue on global water problems and forges collaboration in seeking sustainable solutions, in line with the forum's theme: "Bridging Divides for Water." In France, our Mayor met with the mayor of Clichy-la-Garenne, Mr. Gilles Catoire, and a delegation of notables and council members. Mayor Hani was welcomed by a great reception and a tour of the city. Dialogue is occurring between both municipalities in the hopes that a twinning city agreement may be reached. The Mayor plans a return visit in October to further pursue the relationship. In Germany, the Mayor met with the Mayor of Xanten, Mr. Christian Strunk. The Mayors conversed on diverse topics, including collaboration on various projects and the possibility of a twinning city agreement. To date, Beit Sahour does not have any twinning agreements with any German cities. In August, Mayor Hani Al-Hayek plans on attending the Global Fair and Festival in Incheon, Korea. The Mayor met Hong Jong I1, the Deputy Mayor for Political Affairs of Incheon during the 5th Annual World Water Forum in Istanbul. The Global Fair and Festival is an 80-day event designed to facilitate communication and cooperation between cities all around the world. Participants will be able to enjoy a diverse range of exhibitions and events. Incheon boasts the world's number one international airport, Northeast Asia's hub harbor, and Korea's first free economic zone. |