Hod HaSharon Mayor Amir Kochavi speaks at the Second Forum of Mayors at the UN

GENEVA - Amir Kocahvi, Mayor of Hod Hasharon and chairman of the Forum for UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 (SDGs) at the Federation of Local Authorities in Israel, represented Israel at the Second Forum of Mayors at the UN Headquarters in Geneva from April 3 -4, 2022.

In his speech, he referred to the implementation of the 17 SDGs in Israeli authorities and to the perceptual change following Corona. He discussed the need for public spaces within neighborhoods, the development of green cities and public participation, specifically drawing from what Hod Hasharon and other local governments have implemented.

Against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine, Kochavi expressed solidarity on behalf of the Forum of Local Authorities with local leaders in Ukraine: "While the conference session is called 'vibrant public space, green cities and solutions from nature' none of these things can happen under Russian attack and war crimes. "  Indeed, the mayor of Kyiv, Vitaly Klitschko and the mayor of Kharkiv, Igor Tarkov participated virtually in the forum from a protected area. They discussed the complex reality they face, and Klitschko, who wore an army uniform, declared: "The Ukrainians are fighting for our city and therefore there is no possibility that we will not win."

The mayors of Spain, Slovenia, France, Switzerland, USA, Holland, Georgia, Azerbaijan and more participated in the forum, as did the deputy mayor of Agadir, Morocco, who held a working meeting with Mayor Kochavi where they discussed cooperation between FLAI and the two cities.