LivCom Awards Organizing Committee delegates visited Beijing¡¯s Dongcheng District and Chief Executive Mr. Alan Smith praised the overall environment of Dongcheng District
From August 23rd to 24th, 7 delegates including United Nations Environment Programme Commissioner & Chief Executive of the LivCom Awards Organizing Committee Mr. Alan Smith, and Ms. Claudette Savaria, Chairman of LivCom Awards Judge panel, accompanied by the Secretary-General of LivCom Awards China Organizing Committee Mr. Li Xiang, Deputy Chief of Beijing¡¯s Dongcheng District Mr. Mao Jiong, and the heads of relevant government departments launched a comprehensive 2-day field visit.
Deputy Chief of Beijing¡¯s Dongcheng District Mr. Mao Jiong welcomed the visit of Chief Executive of the LivCom Awards Organizing Committee Alan Smith, and Ms. Claudette Savaria, Chairman of LivCom Awards Judge panel and their companies.
On August 23, Alan Smith and his party paid a visit to the World Heritage site of Temple of Heaven, Qianmen Avenue, Wanguocheng low-carbon environmental community, Dong Si Olympic Community Park, Dongcheng District Rehabilitation Centre, Nanluoguxiang and other landmark projects. The group walked through the communities and the streets to exchange views with residents and learned more about the practical results on Dongcheng District¡¯s building a liveable city. Mr. Alan Smith and his group watched with great interest of the community environmental exhibitions, low-carbon life voluntary actions, environmental protection programmes, mass performances by the public to support the application of LivCom Awards. They also attended the signing session organized by the public themselves to support the application, and left their signatures on the Signing Board.
Dongcheng District¡¯s achievements on preserving a beautiful ecological environment and protecting a wonderful cultural and historical heritage, has won great praises from Alan Smith, and Ms. Claudette Savaria, they said, as a candidate for the 14th LivCom Awards 2010, Dongcheng District was highly competitive, they hoped that though this year¡¯s global finals, the world would have a fresh view on China¡¯s environmental achievements based the experiences of Dongcheng District.
Group photo after the visit of Qianmen Avenue, from left: Mr. Li Xiang, Mr. Mao Jiong, Ms. Claudette Savaria, Mr. Alan Smith, head of the Qianmen Avenue office
On August 24th, the first Chief of new Dongcheng District after its merger with Chongwen District- Mr. Niu Qingshan greeted Mr. Smith and Ms. Claudette Savaria and their group at the Grand Hotel. Chief Niu said: In accordance with Beijing's demands, the new Dongcheng District would be the ¡°window¡± of Beijing¡¯s ambitions to become a "world city", and Dongcheng District would put "soft power, soft environment" as an important starting point for the new District. Competing in the LivCom Awards was an important part to build up its soft power and soft environment, the government of the new District put the application of LivCom Awards in a very high place in the hope of creating a platform to strengthen and exchange ideas with cities around the world, learning their experiences and displaying Dongcheng¡¯s image.
Alan Smith, the Chief Executive first congratulated Dongcheng on entering into this year¡¯s global final, and showed his support on Beijing¡¯s idea of creating a "world city". Alan Smith said the LivCom Awards was a global competition for Urban Environment, there had been nearly 50 cities from 31 countries received approvals to be presented in the final, although Dongcheng District faced very stiff competition, but after 2-day of in-depth visit, he believed, Dongcheng District would get good results and received the world's attention.
After the meeting with Chief Niu, Alan Smith and Ms. Claudette Savaria and their group attended the "Dongcheng District LivCom seminars" to discuss and exchange views and ideas with Dongcheng District¡¯s relevant department heads on how to promote the successful creation of most livable residential environment in Dongcheng District. Alan Smith and Ms. Claudette Savaria gave their opinions on the 2-day visit; combined with similar cities in the world they gave their specific suggestions on how to improve the living environment in Dongcheng District.
It is reported that the visit was a important activity organized after Dongcheng District¡¯s successful being invited into the final of this year¡¯s LivCom Awards, this visit of Chief Executive of the Global Organizing Committee and Chairman of the Judging Panel set off the Dongcheng District¡¯s LivCom climax, triggered a total of 13 units in the region and tens of thousands of people¡¯s high degree of supports. A competition for the world's "Green Oscars" - the climax of the LivCom Awards would thus begin.
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