Celebrating the Year of Highlight, Welcoming the Year of Opportunity: Year End Message from Secretary General
Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi, Secretary General of UCLG ASPAC, when delivering remarks at Symposium on “Marine Economy and Urban Development,” in Fuzhou, December 9, 2017.
YEAR 2017 has come to its end. We, at Secretariat, proudly invite all of our members and partners to look back to our achievements; to what we have done together, to further the impact firstly to cities and local governments, and finally to the lives of local communities. Collaboration and inclusion lies at the heart of year 2017. From enhancing cooperation with Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and various other Ministries in Indonesia, to collaboration with all local governments including those in Southeast Asia for borderless community. This spirit is positively enlivened. Our “Public Space for All” programme with local government of Surabaya has given birth to the groundbreaking of public space in
Keputih area and also in Surakarta on public space revitalization. Expanding the impact that we have started onto other fields, we also advanced collaboration that we began in solid waste management, focusing on waste to energy; continually promoted and integrated culture as fourth pillar of sustainable development; and embarked on largescale research to back enabling environments in cities, as well as to give regional input on disaster risk reduction efforts of cities. We continuously inspire and solidify links among our members by optimizing our network. The two newly established Committees have started introducing their vision, mission, workplan, and also given greater opportunity for members to join and grow together, either in 21st Century Maritime Cooperation or Belt and Road Local Cooperation; and even both. Reaching the end of 2017, we can take pride of what we have done throughout the year; and further, use the milestone that we achieved to see 2018 as the year of opportunity to deliver much more impactful results for the betterment of cities, regions and communities. Welcome, 2018!
Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi UCLG ASPAC - Secretary General