Press release: 100 RC agenda-setting workshop in Can Tho City

CAN THO PEOPLE'S COMMITTEE VICE CHAIRMAN DAO ANH DZUNG  AND 100 RESILIENT CITIES – PIONEERED BY THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION HOST WORKSHOP TO LAUNCH ‘RESILIENT CAN THO'

Can Tho Begins Urban Resilience-Building Process by Convening Key Stakeholders from Government, the Private Sector, NGOs, Civil Society Groups, and 100RC Staff

100 Resilient Cities - Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation, is Dedicated to Building Urban Resilience in 100 Cities around the World – Can Tho is a Member of $164M+ Effort

CAN THO, VIETNAM – Today, Can Tho People's Committee Vice Chairman Dao Anh Dzung, in partnership with 100 Resilient Cities - Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC), kicked off the Can Tho "Agenda-Setting Workshop" – designed to guide the development of a long-term, comprehensive urban Resilience Strategy for the city. A diverse set of stakeholders from across government, business, non-governmental organizations, and the civic community came together as part of the planning process to address significant challenges facing one of the region's largest cities, including: flooding, sea level rise related to climate change, drought related food security, disease outbreak, commodity price fluctuations, heat wave and water management issues. Representatives from the Department of Natural Resources, Department of ICT, Can Tho University, Southwestern Steering Committee, Department of Construction, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, leaders from the Mekong Delta provinces and more came together to discuss the challenges Can Tho will face well into the 21^st century.  The workshop will lay the groundwork for the Can Tho "Resilience Strategy" in the coming year and will involve outreach to and coordination with the other stakeholders in the city and region.

Vice Chairman Dao Anh Dzung said, "Can Tho has learned difficult lessons about the need for building resilience into our city.  The challenges we face from rainfall and coastal flooding will only increase as climate change continues to take a toll on our region.  Now is the time to assess our challenges and create solutions that will prepare us for the changing realities of the 21^st century. We envision a future for the city where resilience is synonymous with prosperity for all of our citizens." 

Lauren Sorkin, Regional Director, Asia Pacific, 100 Resilient Cities said, "Can Tho has an opportunity to play a leading role in catalyzing the urban resilience movement in Vietnam.  The Agenda-Setting Workshop is the beginning of the conversation among citizens and across city sectors. The work done here today will call attention to the city's assets and vulnerabilities and begin to frame a comprehensive approach to resilience building."

As the largest city in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, Can Tho will act as a lightning rod for the region in establishing and spreading resilience thinking.  Can Tho joins Da Nang, which released its Resilience Strategy earlier this year, in defining the urban resilience agenda in Vietnam. Da Nang Chief Resilience Officer Cuong Dinh Quang attended the Can Tho Workshop to share lessons from his experience and offer his perspective on how a coordinated resilience building effort can benefit Can Tho and eventually the country as a whole. This workshop is only the first step in a process that will enable Can Tho to be healthier and more secure as it grows to meet the needs of current and future generations.

Can Tho was selected as part of the 100RC Network in May 2016 and will receive technical support and resources to develop and implement a Resilience Strategy. Each city in the 100RC network receives four concrete types of support:

• Financial and logistical guidance for establishing an innovative new position in city government, a Chief Resilience Officer, who will lead the city's resilience efforts;
• Technical support for development of a robust Resilience Strategy;
• Access to solutions, service providers, and partners from the private, public and NGO sectors who can help them develop and implement their resilience strategies; and
• Membership in a global network of member cities who can learn from and help each other.

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About 100 Resilient Cities—Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation 

100 Resilient Cities - Pioneered by The Rockefeller Foundation (100RC) helps cities around the world become more resilient to social, economic, and physical challenges that are a growing part of the 21^st century. 100RC provides this assistance through: funding for a Chief Resilience Officer in each of our cities who will lead the resilience efforts; resources for drafting a Resilience Strategy; access to private sector, public sector, academic, and NGO resilience tools; and membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and challenges. For more information, visit: www.100ResilientCities.org.