IoC Meets with Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino
IoC Meets with Mayor of Rome Ignazio Marino
On Saturday May 31, the Initiative on Cities was honored to host Mayor Ignazio Marino of Rome, Italy, Consul General Giuseppe Pastorelli, and their staff for breakfast and a conversation about the challenges facing cities like Rome and Boston. An ancient city flush with historic archaeological sites and ruins dating back thousands of years, Rome faces numerous obstacles in preserving the past while adjusting for the 21st century. Mayor Marino has identified transportation as a key issue for his city, lobbying for increased walkability and promoting bicycling as an alternative to car travel. Faced with narrow streets, a steadily increasing population, and historic neighborhoods and downtown areas, the city of Boston has tackled this issue with a similar focus on walkability, cycling, and public transportation. As urban centers continue to grow, the demand for creative and sustainable transportation strategies is only expected to increase.
Joined by Willis Wang, Vice President and Associate Provost of Global Programs and Deputy General Counsel at Boston University, Speaker Robert DeLeo, and over a dozen area Italian-American business leaders, IoC Co-Directors Thomas Menino and Professor Graham Wilson also discussed the importance of cultural diversity and global connections in cities. As cities, and their mayors, become increasingly influential in social and economic affairs throughout the world, the need for conversation among global urban leaders has never been more apparent.