We knew Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak has higher ambitions, but Mayor of the World?
Maybe there isn’t really such a thing, but His Honor is a finalist in a World Mayor 2012 competition, of sorts, put on by the City Mayors Foundation. Based in London, the group says it is an “international think tank for local government, organizes the World Mayor Project and awards the World Mayor Prize.”
Rybak is one of five mayors in the North America category.
The other N.A. nominees are:
- Régis Labeaume of Québec City, Canada
- Stephanie Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore
- John F Cook of El Paso
- Cory Booker of Newark
There are also candidates from Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa and “Australasia” (which includes Australia and New Zealand).
The contest organizers say they’re “looking for city leaders who excel in qualities like: leadership and vision, management abilities and integrity, social and economic awareness, ability to provide security and to protect the environment as well as the will and ability to foster good relations between communities from different cultural, racial and social backgrounds.”
They urge voters to comment not only on the mayor’s achievements, but also, his or her shortcomings. You seem to get an unlimited amount of space for the comments.
The winner gets a World Mayor trophy; two runners-up get World Mayor Commendations.
Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard was the 2010 World Mayor winner.
