BACKGROUND

With the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the City of Kobe, AUICK hosted "The 2002 Workshop on Population and Sustainable Development" from May 13 to 24, 2002. Six senior administrative officials from six medium-sized cities representing six Asian countries were invited to participate. The workshop was established in 1994 for the purpose of providing Asian city administrators with a comprehensive study course on population and sustainable development issues. Topics addressed during this year's lectures and opinion exchange sessions included population issues and related urban problems, ageing, and city planning. Participants also made observational visits to Kobe City Public Health Center, Gabage Incineration Plant, Brewery Museum, the Disaster Reduction and Human Renovation Institute, the Port of Kobe, and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge. Everyone expressed particular interest in Kobe's recovery from the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and said that it would serve as a good source of motivation for the development of their cities. Thanks to individual reports on current situations in participants' cities and subsequent opinion exchange sessions, participants left the workshop with an increased understanding of the issues facing each other's cities.

AIM

This course intends:

1. To develop a better understanding for the participants on a wide range of issues caused by the recent drastic population flow into urban areas and to provide them ideas on what to do for sustainable development.
2. To promote cooperation among Asian cities on a Continual basis. The workshop covers a broad Range of areas such as local administration system, statistics, population, family planning, public health, environment, and waste disposal.

PARTICIPANTS

The workshop is designed for senior administrative officials who advise on policy making in nine medium sized Asian cities: Rajshahi (Bangladesh), Nanchang (China), Biratnager (Nepal), Cebu (Philippines), Colombo (Sri Lanka), and Danang (Vietnam).
(in alphabetical order of country):

Mr. Md. Khaliloor Rahman
Chief Executive Officer, Rajshahi City Corporation, BANGLADESH

Mr. Chen Kuanghui
Vice Secretary, c.c.c.p of Qingyunpu District Nanchang City, CHINA

Mr. Krishna Prasad Ojha
Executive Officer, Biratrager Sub-Metropolitan City Office, NEPAL

Ms. Pihille Kankanamge Ayanthi Deepika De Silva
Assistant Director, Employment and Labour Planning Sector, Department of National Planning, Ministry of Finance and Planning, SRI LANKA

Mr. Nigel Paul Calo Villarete
City Administrator, Cebu City Government, PHILIPPINES

Mr. Nguyen Hoang Long
Vice Chairman, People's Committee of Da Nang City, VIETNAM

[Observer]

Dr. Richard Joanes Makalew
Programme Coordinator, Population and Development Strategies, UNFPA, INDONESIA

[Accompanying Interpreter]

Ms. Do Thi Thu Ha
Senior Secretary to the Representative of UNFPA-Vietnam, VIETNAM

PERIOD

PROGRAM