DM delegation returns from Paris

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The Dubai Municipality delegation for the preparatory committee headed by Obeid Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director General for Administrative and General Services Affairs also included Dr. Abdelfattah Toukan, Executive Secretary of Dubai International Award for Best Practices.

The meeting was also participated by the representatives of the Standing Committee of the Euro Mediterranean Partnership (COPPEM), Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR), Council of Local Authorities and Regions of Europe (CLARE), in addition to Arab Towns Organization (ATO) and Arab Urban Development Institute.

COPPEM was represented in the meeting by its Secretary General M. Carmelo Motta, CLARE by its President M. Giovanni Di Stasi and CEMR by its Secretary General M. Jeremy Smith.

The meeting was a follow up of the earlier preparatory meetings held in Dubai and Italy to discuss the arrangements for the 3rd Euro-Arab Conference. Dubai has been chosen to host the event in the second half of November 2006 with wide international participation including 100 Mayors of world cities as Dubai and the UAE are well known for expertise in successfully organizing and managing several international events.

The meeting in Palermo, Italy was held to finalize the topics of the conference and for constituting the scientific and the organizing committees. A meeting between Dubai Municipality, Arab Towns Organization (ATO) and Arab Urban Development Institute was held earlier to agree upon Arab coordination on the method of selecting the topics and participants.

The Paris meeting discussed among other things the funding sources and the final list of participants and invitees that include Mayaors of more than 100 cities and Municipalities of the world, in addition to international personalities and officials from both Arab and European sides.

Dubai has already set up a permanent office for the successful conduct of the conference and coordination with other Arab and European cities. A higher committee also has been formed under the chairmanship of Obeid Salem Al Shamsi. Other members of the committee are Khalid AbdelRahim Abdullah, Assistant Director of the Department of Municipality Centres, Khalid Badri, Acting Director of Public Relations and Organizations Department and Dr. Abdelfattah Toukan, in addition to representatives of Arab Towns Organization (ATO) and Arab Urban Development Institute.