Mayor inaugurates international forum
Released: 10 July 2007
Wolverhampton Mayor, Councillor Trudy Bowen, has inaugurated an ‘international forum’ group in the city to facilitate and improve international business links.
As part of the focus of the Mayor’s theme for her year in office “Wolverhampton – The City in the Global Village” Councillor Bowen hosted an initial meeting of key partners and organisations in the city.
The meeting, which was held in April in the run up to the then Mayor Elect Councillor Bowen’s installation as ‘first citizen’ after the May local election, discussed the extent of international activity currently being undertaken by companies across the city and explored ways in which local businesses and other partners and agencies might cooperate in future.
This initial meeting was very positive and highlighted the fact that there is a great deal of international activity related to Wolverhampton taking place in countries such as Japan, India, Russia, Hungary, Poland, Serbia and China.
Delegates attending that first event decided that it would be useful to continue to meet, and the Mayor therefore hosted a formal, inaugural meeting of the new ‘international forum’ last month.
“Wolverhampton has some very longstanding and well established international connections as well as a whole host of exciting new opportunities it is exploring in many new marketplaces”, explained the Mayor.
“I chose the theme for my year in office with these developments in mind and I am committed to doing all I can whilst Mayor to help strengthen existing links as well as encourage new ones as city businesses make further progress on the international scene”, she added.
Joining the Mayor in these endeavours are the her Consort Paul Kalinauckas, the council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Enterprise, Councillor Peter Bilson and the European Member Champion Councillor Neville Patten, supported by officers from Regeneration and Environment.
The ‘international forum’ group now hopes to facilitate and maximise further opportunities for Wolverhampton through the auspices of the Mayoral role as ‘first citizen’ in co-ordinating business and civic visits overseas and welcoming overseas visitors to Wolverhampton.
The Mayor has extended an ongoing open welcome to, and expressed an interest to meet, any overseas visitors to Wolverhampton to support and help strengthen the international activity of city businesses and other partners and agencies.
Anyone wanting further information about the Mayor’s ‘international forum’ can contact Kevin Westwood in Economic Development at Wolverhampton City Council on 01902-555850.
Issued by the press office.