The First Guangzhou International Award Short-listed Projects Presentation was held on the afternoon of November 16. Representatives from 15 "Guangzhou Award" shortlisted cities presented their contending projects and answered inquires. Mr. Chen Jianhua, Mayor of Guangzhou attended the presentation and made remarks after listening to all presentations. He asserted the audiences that Guangzhou would attach great importance to the fruitful results of the current cycle of the Guangzhou Award, and would make an in-depth, inclusive and comprehensive study of success stories of other cities, so as to benefit the citizens of Guangzhou. He hopes that through active exploration and endeavors with partner cities, a new wave of international urban innovation will be activated, and concerted effort to build a happy habitation environment can be achieved. Mr. Cao Jianliao also made a welcome speech at the beginning of the presentation. Organizer of the meeting, President of the UN-Habitat Steering Committee of the World Urban Campaign, Mr. Nicholas You made a brief introduction to the nominated projects. Mayor of Istanbul, President of United Cites and Local Governments Mr. Kadir Topbas; Guangzhou officials Mr. Fang Xuan and Mr. Ping Xinguang; Secretary General of Guangzhou government Mr. Zhou Yawei; experts from the Review Jury of the Guangzhou Award, city managers from the world and departmental heads of the city administration also attended the event.

The presentation consists of four topic areas: "increase social inclusiveness of cities", "new ways of coping with climate change", "sustainable development plan" and "improving administrative managements". The 15 projects were presented in four groups followed by Q&A session after each presentation. With clear presentation topics, rich content and dynamic interaction, the presentation achieved very favorable results.

After listening to all 15 project presentations, Mayor Chen Jianhua conveyed gratitude to cities and friends of all works of life who have shown great support to the first cycle of the Guangzhou Award, and extended congratulations to nominated cities. He enumerated highlights of each project and pointed out that projects like "Paving of Dakar City"; the Sylhet practice of mobilizing communities and institutions for effective risk reduction; Sakhnin's Green Building; and Seoul's juvenile problem handling and transparency improvement project all gave conducive insights for Guangzhou.

Chen Jianhua points out that the 15 shortlisted projects give Guangzhou very profound enlightenments by sparkling thoughts, sharing innovation experiences, engaging cross-cutting dialogue, in issues such as city planning, city construction, juvenile problems, wisdom city and green city. The 15 projects contain both theoretical and empirical guidance and constitute an actual “brain storming". They provide solutions to problems encountered in day-to-day city managements and make good examples for city managers. They are the common wealth of human beings. These innovative projects is fundamental in enriching the inherited value of the Guangzhou Award, enhancing its influence, promoting best practices of shortlisted cities, and spreading new ideas of civilization advancement.

Mr. Chen Jianhua indicates, Guangzhou will pay great attention to the fruitful results of the first cycle of the Guangzhou Award, and will make in-depth, all-inclusive and comprehensive study of successful experiences of other cities, so as to bring benefits to the citizens of Guangzhou. Innovation is the common pursuits of world cities. As an active advocator and practitioner, Guangzhou is willing to seek cooperation and makes common endeavor with partner cities, to promote world innovation and build a happier homelands.

1. Aguascalientes (Mexico)

The Green Line Social Development Comprehensive Plan

Comments: Since 2010, they have been using a comprehensive method to develop poor areas, improve public infrastructure, enlarge public space and improve the livelihood of more than three million poor city inhabitances. They managed to realize the most formidable water treatment program at the lowest cost possible.

2. Chiang Rai (Thailand)

Urban Ecosystem and Biodiversity Conservation towards Sustainable City and Climate Change Resilience

Comments: They are a small city with big ambitions. They treasure historical heritages, protect nature and ensure city’s ability to develop sustainably and to recover in the face of climate change. They set an example for small cities in terms of improving the urban ecosystem and biodiversity.

3. Curitiba (Brazil)

Linking Environmental Preservation with Urban Development: the Green Areas of Curitiba

Comments: For purpose of protecting green ecological environment, they adopt low taxation as a method to encourage people to build far away from original forestation areas. They even creatively cooperate with wild life research institutes and environmental education associations to quantify green undertakings and made a revolutionary combination between environmental protection and urban development.

4. Dakar (Senegal)

Paving of Dakar City

Comments: The care for the disadvantaged people is the best indicator of the love of a city. Combining occupational education with local industries, they utilize the local resources for paving stones as a way of improving the local economy. It has not only benefited public transportation safety, but also means a source of income for low income populations.

5. Kaoshiung (Taiwan, China)

1999 Anytime, Anything, Anywhere

Comments: Their innovative project is multi-facet, with an aim of solving inconveniences for citizens in contexts of health, transportation, public infrastructure and sanitations. They also have a good mechanism for daily appraisal of services so as to address identified problem in a timely manner.

6. Kocaeli (Turkey)

Prepare before it’s Too Late: Learn to Live with Earthquake

Comments: They build a comprehensive emergency reaction system by creatively forge cooperation between emergency reaction organizations, NOGs, universities and research institutes -- a system that is replicable and has already been adopted by other cities.

7. Lilongwe (Malawi)

Lilongwe/Johannesburg: Cities Mentorship Program

Comments: Adopting the oriental philosophy of harmony and inclusion, their project raise the occidental practices of mutual learning to a new height, improving their urban management capabilities in the process. The project is rightly named as a mentorship program.

8. Medellin (Columbia)

Medellin Digital

Comments: Communication and information processing tools are allocated in entire city, even in suburbs. Their enabling technology of information and telecommunication brings the future one step nearer to the citizens.

9. Perm (Russia)

Transforming the City: The Perm Strategic Masterplan

Comments: They are the thinker of cities. In the face of a global trend of urbanization, they are the first to identify the phenomenon of “shrinkage of cities”, and set to innovate a top-down model for city transformation, thus setting a benchmark for urban transition around the globe.

10. Sakhnin (Israel)

TAEQ’s Green Building of Sakhnin

Comments: This innovation project is highly esteemed by the jury. It is very attractive to cities with adequate skills and technologies but also can be realized using traditional techniques. What is more, it is also beneficial for the cooperation between Jews and Arabs.

11. Salerno (Italy)

Sustainable Energy Now

Comments: This city is among the first who is alert to the energy future of our planet. Using the vision and wisdom of multi-disciplinary science taskforce, they make clever urban energy reduction plans, reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, lower the rate of energy waste, and explore new energy resources. Every effort was made towards building a more livable environment for the people, and more sustainable use of energy resources.

12. Seoul (South Korea)

Juvenile problem handling and transparency improvement project

Comments: They are dedicated to solving problems brought by rapid urbanization -- in particular, influence of internet on young people. Using local network, they managed to construct a citizen participation-oriented approach to keep young people involvement to the society with minimum negative effect internet has on youth.

13. Sylhet (Bangladesh)

A Disaster Resilient Future: Mobilizing Communities and Institutions for Effective Risk Reduction

Comments: They push the practice of precaution to future risk to the extreme. By implementing innovative multi-level earthquake risk awareness and risk reduction strategies, they effectively mobilized communities and institutions during risk reductions, providing a good example for other cities around the world in terms of risk reduction practices.

14. Vancouver (Canada)

Visionary Vancouver: Creating a Welcoming and Sustainable Place for All

Comments: They have a far reaching vision in terms of urban development. Every step is taken with the future generation in mind. To build a zero carbon, zero waste and healthy ecological system, they are willing to utilize resources in every front, because in their eyes, cities are built to be developed, not to be used.

15. Vienna (Austria):

“Start Wien”-- Welcome Package of the City of Vienna for New Migrants

Comments: This city shows unprecedented love and care in addressing environmental, energy, and immigrant social inclusion issues, demonstrating a clear capacity to innovate, on a continuing basis. In particular, the introduction of clear and coherent green standards for public procurement gains very positive recognitions among localpeople.