DYNAMIC and energetic as ever, this is what happened in UCLG ASPAC’s office when Wakatobi Regent Mayor Hugua from Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia, paid a visit to General Secretariat on Friday, 20 February 2015. This moment was then used by both parties to discuss matters related with the preparation for the upcoming Council and Exbu meetings as well as a Seminar on “Asia Pacific Local Government Voices towards Habitat III” scheduled to be held next September in Wakatobi.
Speaking to UCLG ASPAC’s Secretary General and other staff members, Mayor Hugua revealed his strong enthusiasm to host such an international event in his regency. Instead of only meeting with other mayors and local government leaders across the region, this international seminar will be also used to boost and promote Asia Pacific best practices on low carbon, good governance and sustainable urbanization. The seminar is expected to result a Wakatobi Declaration that will be presented in the Preparatory Meeting for Habitat III for Asia Pacific scheduled to take place in Indonesia in September 2015.
Asked about Wakatobi’ specialty compared with other cities or regions across Indonesia, Mayor Huqua added that it is the right time for all parties to visit the nation’s richest marine biodiversity and the epicenter of coral reef in the world. Located far away from the Sulawesi’s mainland, he added, “Wakatobi offers various best diving spots,” as he referred to his Wakatobi’s popular tagline which reads “The Real Paradise under Water Spots in the Worlds’ Best Coral Site”. (MH)
