UN-Habitat, an United Nations agency for human settlements, has established WACLAC (World Association of Cities and Local Authorities Coordination) and attached greater importance to take many actions with local governments.

In this context, the LHC searched for how to cooperate with UN-Habitat so as to develop one of our pillar activities, city-to-city cooperation and City of Kyoto, the Chairperson invited Dr. G. Egziabher, Director of New York Office of UN-Habitat, to the 8th World Conference of Historical Cities in Montreal.

Dr. Egziabher made an opening speech including the message from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan concerning World Habitat Day, delivered in the same morning in New York.

"I'm greatly honored to be here to participate the 8th World Conference of Historical Cities on the World Habitat Day. UN-Habitat has established World Habitat Day on first Monday of every October in order to reflect on the living condition of the people across this planet.

"Water and Sanitation for the City" is the theme of this year. Urbanization has caused excessive concentration of population. Clean water and sanitary environment are needed to the development of cities and it is significant to research the conditions of historical heritage and environment around the city.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan also insisted on the needs of strong ties with local authorities to promote the activities of UN in his message. I look forward to learning a lot from the 8th Conference to solve the complex problems caused by urbanization."

Thus the LHC could share the common goal in the field of city-to-city cooperation beyond the national border with UN-Habitat and it deserves special mention as a fruitful result of the 8th Conference.

The LHC would like to make full use of our unique status as historical cities which are in charge of irreplaceable assets for all human-beings so that the LHC can make steady steps to occupy more important position in international societies.

Click to the official website of UN-HABITAT →

ICOMOS which is an international, non-governmental organization dedicated to the conservation of the world's historic monuments and sites founded in 1965.

ICOMOS is UNESCO'S principal advisor in matters concerning the conservation and protection of monuments and sites and has an international role under the World Heritage Convention to advise the World Heritage Committee and UNESCO on the nomination of new sites to the World Heritage List.

Mr. Bumbaru, Secretary General of the ICOMOS, delivered his speech at the 8th World Conference of Historical Cities in Montreal.

"As cities keep their own past and bring back memories from inside, we can say that cities themselves are historical heritage. It is very important for us to keep good balance between development of the cities and conservation of historical assets. It is also significant that we should transfer these historical properties to the future generations.

ICOMOS broadly develops multilateral programs concerning conservation of heritage with involving the collaboration of many international committees & organizations and seeks to establish international standards for the preservation, restoration, and management of the cultural environment.

Hereafter ICOMOS would like to cooperate with the LHC and report the outcome of the 8th conference to the world."

Thus he expressed his expectation for the LHC to perform its key role toward sustainable development of historical cities as common assets of all human-beings.

Click to the official website of ICOMOS →

The Board of Directors of the LHC consulted with OWHC (Organization of World Heritage Cities) at the 8th World Conference of Historical Cities in Montreal, 2003 and confirmed that collaboration between OWHC and the LHC could contribute to the sustainable development of historical cities and to the creation of new perspectives in the future.

Click to the official website of OWHC →