His Excellency Khaled Irani launches the Eco-Cities of the Mediterranean Forum 2008 initiative

The press conference was attended by local, regional and international media representatives as well as the Forum's partners.

During the press conference, H.E. the Minister of Environment stated:

"Our region's energy, water, air and environment are all facing significant and complicated challenges that are affecting the quality of our lives today and will continue to affect the quality of future generations if they are not addressed."

H.E. Eng. Irani, highlighted the role of the Ministry in addressing these challenges through organizing the Eco-Cities of the Mediterranean Forum 2008. H.E. added: "during this 3-day event, we aim to create a momentum towards addressing environmental challenges and opportunities in cities across the Mediterranean region and to promote the adoption of environmentally friendly practices by suggesting policies, strategies and programs bringing together the relevant public and private sectors."

"We will also work towards setting the minimum conditions and standards required for rating or classifying cities either as Environmentally Friendly, Carbon Neutral, or Zero Emissions." He added.

Eng. Irani continued: "The Forum will be attended by ministers, mayors, members of the local authorities, service suppliers, representatives of intermediary institutions and non governmental organizations to exchange ideas, information, and experiences. We anticipate more than 250 local and international practitioners to attend this valuable Forum."

The Forum will be concluded by the issuance of "The Amman call for eco cities", which recommendations will include holding this Forum every other year in one of the capitals of the region to follow up on the achievements, recommendations and address the arising challenges.

The Forum will also include an exhibition for service and technology suppliers to showcase their latest services, products and state-of-the-art developments in the environmental field.

The Forum, which will be held from 18 to 20 October 2008, at the Dead Sea Kempinski Hotel in Jordan, is being organized by the Jordanian Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Greater Amman Municipality, UNIDO and USAID Jordan Economic Development Program and sponsored by the IUCN/ WAME , UN-HABITAT, NERC, ASEZA and the King Hussein bin Talal development Area , the Kempinski Hotel Ishtar

By holding this regional event every other year, the Forum is expected to become a think tank assembly, through which multi-sectoral and cross cutting mechanisms for strengthening and enhancing environmentally friendly cities in the Mediterranean region will be implemented.