Gala Dinner Keynote Speech
Speaker Bertrand DelanoĂŤ Mayor of Paris
Tuesday 15 May, 2012
Overview
boundaries of what has been done before. Paris
John Rossant opened the evening in
has been able to take risks, such as investment in
thanking the assembled guests of the New Cities
the Velib bike-share project and more recently
Summit Gala Dinner for their presence and
Autolib, the free electric car-sharing service,
participation. He proceeded to introduce Bertrand
allowing for a new way to experience the city.
DelanoĂŤ, Mayor of Paris, for the keynote address.
He expressed pride in the fact that a Parisian startup, City Gardens Paris, had been recognized by
In his speech, Mayor DelanoĂŤ opened in
the Summit for its new and innovative smart-phone
thanking guests, public officials and the event
application.
organizers. He went on to state that there is
In closing, the Mayor spoke of his
nothing more beautiful than being committed to
confidence in the assembled guests and his
serve, to serve life and to serve humanity.
anticipation to see the results of this significant
He spoke of Paris as a world city; that is, a
effort in reflection and exchange. He urged those
city with a million little worlds within it. Being
assembled to stay creative and dynamic, and to
composed of such a diversity of cultures, religions
continue to share always, as do the mayors of the
and people is ultimately its greatest strength. Paris
world. Again, he thanked everyone for their
itself has historically been a center of innovation,
contributions to the event and reasserted the
as exemplified by the space of the Grand Palais,
inherent beauty in being deeply committed to
so it should be seen as no surprise for the event to
serving life, and the vision that we each have of
be held there.
humanity.
In cities we need to work for social cohesion, economic development, and sustainability; in a word, life. The Mayor asserted
Link to Yo u t u b e Video of the session
his belief that we can meet the challenge of sustaining economic development, but only when we are willing to take risks and to push the 46