At a recent City Council meeting, the Mayor stated words to the effect that New Rochelle is not associated with the United Nations.
In announcing their submission to the Rio+20 zero draft last October, ICLEI said their submission was sent in response to an invitation from the UN Commission on Sustainable Development which was made to UN Member States, Major Groups and UN system organizations.
On the Rio + 20 section of the ICLEI web site, is a statement that “ICLEI is participating in the official UN preparatory meetings ahead of Rio+20” and that they are doing so as the “Local Authority Major Group Co-Organizing Partner” and that “At the Rio+20 conference, ICLEI will facilitate the presence and active participation of local governments.”
Also on the ICLEI web site is a statement which reads:
…the year 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit, the birthplace of the Local Agenda 21 movement. Initiated by ICLEI, it has inspired thousands of local governments and communities worldwide to put in place local strategies and actions for sustainable development. [emphasis added]
It is a fact, acknowledged by ICLEI, that ICLEI is the organization that proposed the Local Agenda 21 initiative at the Rio Summit.
ICLEI was founded in 1990 at UN Headquarters in NY
ICLEI drafted Chapter 28 of Agenda 21, known as Local Agenda 21, in 1992.
There is no separation between ICLEI, the United Nations and Agenda 21; they are all part of an inter-related whole which ICLEI itself describes as “UN system organizations”.
ICLEI is a part of the UN system to implement Agenda 21 and New Rochelle is a member of ICLEI.
If the Mayor wants to address this issue he should address these facts.