ICLEI is an international environment council for local governments, established to achieve a sustainable society. Sendai has a long history of environmental initiatives and has been devoted to international relations in environmental areas.

As a part of its environmental efforts, Sendai joined ICLEI in 1996, when the ICLEI Japan Office was created. The city was appointed as a member of ICLEI Japan’s advisory committee in 2000.

Sendai has collaborated with ICLEI to aggressively promote international environmental initiatives.

Major achievements include hosting the World Environmental Conference in 2001, participating in the ICLEI’s Local Government Session of the Johannesburg Summit in 2002, and hosting the 1st International Conference on Green Purchasing in Sendai last year. It was a great honor to be elected as an ICLEI Executive Committee member in 2003. Since then, Sendai has adopted best practices from innovative local governments throughout the world, widely publicized our city’s initiatives, and strived to expand ICLEI’s activities in Japan.

It is a great pleasure to host the 2005 ICLEI Executive Committee Meeting in Sendai and hold the Sendai-ICLEI Seminar with participation from the Executive Committee members who will be visiting our city.

During the Seminar, Executive Committee members from various countries will present examples of environmental efforts and issues, hold a panel discussion, and exchange views with the citizens of Sendai.

I look forward to your participation in this seminar, which will introduce environmental issues in the world and ICLEI, an organization that confronts global environmental issues through local initiatives. Your sincere interest in ICLEI will support the organization and make its future endeavors even more fruitful.

Hajimu Fujii,
Mayor of Sendai