In December, Melbourne Lord Mayor, John So, was voted the most outstanding Mayor in the world by an international poll. World Mayor is an annual internet based project organised by City Mayors. It aims to raise the profile of Mayors worldwide as well as to honour those who have made long lasting contributions to their communities and are committed to the wellbeing of cities nationally and internationally.
Lord Mayor So said it was a great privilege to be recognised at a time when Melbourne was doing so well on the world stage.
“I am delighted to be elected World Mayor 2006,” he said. “The honour belongs to the amazing people of this wonderful city and the hard working team at the City of Melbourne. Melbourne is a passionate, diverse and sophisticated city with a precious Indigenous tradition. Home to people from 140 countries, speaking more than 200 languages, we host an extraordinary calendar of international sporting and cultural events. We enjoy global acclaim in areas as varied as quality of life, environmental sustainability and business innovation. I am proud to serve the people of Melbourne and will continue to work with the community in the best interests of our city.”
Between June and October 2006, more than 103,000 people from across the world voted for and commented on 677 Mayors from around the world. Fifty Mayors were short listed to compete for the 2006 award. Lord Mayor So was the only Australian Mayor to be short listed for the award.
In addition to click voting, participants in World Mayor 2006 were encouraged to provide persuasive statements of why they felt their chosen Mayor should win the 2006 Award. John So was supported by more than 16,000 individual voters and many well argued comments.
One young Melbournian wrote:
“John So has captured the imagination of the people of his city. He has especially done so with young people. Where else in the world do people under the age of 25 cheer and stamp and shout out the name of the Mayor?”
The Lord Mayor will be presented with the World Mayor Award Trophy early this year. The 2006 runner up is Job Cohen, Mayor of Amsterdam, with Stephen Reed, Mayor of Harrisburg, USA, ranked third. Jejomar Binay, Mayor Makati City, Philippines and Michel Thiollière, Mayor of St Etienne, France, complete the top five.
John So came to Melbourne from Hong Kong as a teenager. He completed school and university in Melbourne before embarking on a teaching and business career. He was elected as a Councillor at the City of Melbourne in 1991. He was elected as Melbourne’s first popularly elected Mayor in 2001 and then re-elected for a second term in November 2004.
John So was ranked tenth World Mayor in 2005.
