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Mayor's Recovery Vision
"Face the problem, imagine the future, be collaborative"
Path towards recovery from current Coronavirus emergency has three main steps, as stated by Mayor of Milano Giuseppe Sala in his Instagram and Facebook daily messages to the Milanese: "to face the problem, to make plans for the future we imagine, and to be collaborative".
Mayor Sala has been appointed chair of the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force, administered by C40 Cities - a network of more than 90 major global cities committed to urgent action on climate change - that will bring together economists, sustainability experts and city leaders from every part of the world.
He expressed his views in an article on trust.org significantly titled "Post virus, let's rebuild climate-smart, healthier and equitably" (Read the whole article)
Being at the epicenter of Coronavirus pandemic, that has proven to be a global problem - Mayor Sala said:
"To deliver the future we want, global collaboration is essential. Just as cities across the world have been collaborating in recent years to address the climate crisis, today they are shaping the local and international response to COVID-19 by working together."
"We mourn the lives lost too soon. We honour the bravery and selfless dedication of the health workers and all those working tirelessly to keep us safe. We thank everyone helping to reduce the impact of this crisis by staying at home and respecting the public health measures currently in place."
"In particular, I would like to thank my fellow Milanese citizens for the commitment they have shown over Easter weekend, with 95% of road checks by the police resulting in legitimate reasons to move around the city." - Said Mayor Sala, who, on Easter, joined a police checkpoint in Milano to testify citizens' respect of rules.
"People in cities across the world have come together to care for the most vulnerable. The generous response to the Milan Mutual Aid Fund I set up to support people in economic difficulty has been heartwarming." So far the total fundraising from private donors in Milano reached 12 million euros.
Mayor Sala, worries about the way huge sums of money will be pumped into the global economy to help individuals, businesses, cities and nations recover from the impact of the COVID-19 crisis"If designed properly using shared knowledge and expertise from cities across the globe, these stimulus packages can foster resilience within our economic and financial systems, while also creating truly sustainable means of protecting public health, reducing inequality, and preserving the global ecosystems we all depend on."
For this reason the Mayor leverages his commitment to manage the outbreak at a global scale by chairing the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force which "will call for stimulus packages to be shaped by the needs of people, and not to re-boot fossil fuel industries." creating and acting in cities to deliver a green recovery.
During a crisis, "it is always the most vulnerable in society that bear the heaviest burden. This is precisely why the strong leadership from Mayors and cities worldwide, to shape the future we want in the aftermath of the pandemic - a future that works for everyone".
Cities know how to cater efficiently to their citizens needs and should be given the proper economic means.
"Around the world, city governments are stepping in to provide the shelter, food and essentials that people need. In Europe, we ask for direct funding to be made available to cities, so that they can swiftly respond to their citizens’ needs".