Mayors from California and Kentucky here to talk business, bonding and battling extremism
Greg Fischer and Tom Tait
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Two US mayors, Mayor Tom Tait of Anaheim (California) and Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville (Kentucky), are in Mumbai as part of the Strong Cities Network (SCN) initiative. The SCN network is a global network of cities coming together to build cohesion and resilience to counter violent extremism in every form.
Visit to Mahim Dargah
Today afternoon the mayors, along with some US officials, are slated to visit Mahim Dargah. A Mahim Dargah spokesperson said they will be there for a short while, and will be joined by representatives and leaders of different faiths, as the dargah visit has ‘the unity amidst diversity’ theme. The theme is in line with the SCN aim which is to build collaboration between mayors and leaders to tackle polarisation, hate and violence in communities. The SCN was launched at the United Nations (UN) in September 2015, and is a global network of mayors, municipal-level policy makers and practitioners.
The mayors
Tom Tait was elected as mayor of Anaheim in November 2010 and re-elected to his second term in November 2014. As mayor, Tait has promoted Anaheim as a city of kindness. He created the ‘Hi Neighbor’ programme, which simply encourages neighbours to get to know one another through acts of kindness and to build social infrastructure that leads to stronger, more resilient communities.
Greg Fischer is also in his second term as Louisville’s 50th Mayor. His administration is focused on three main goals: making a city of lifelong learning, a healthier city and an even more compassionate city. In September 2011, the Consul General (CG) of the US in Mumbai, Peter Haas, accompanied by personnel from the American Center in Mumbai and Haji Ali Dargah trustees had inaugurated an exhibit called, ‘Islam in America’ at the Dargah. That was a poster and video exhibit, showcasing various aspects of Islam and Muslims in America and celebrating cultural diversity in America.
Sept 2015
When the SCN was launched at the UN
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