News / Marvin Rees
Rees recognised with award for being ‘exceptional urban leader’
Marvin Rees has become the first mayor of a European city to be honoured with the Urban Leadership Award from the Penn Institute for Urban Research.
The award recognises “leaders who are guiding cities toward a sustainable and vibrant future”.
Bristol’s mayor was one of two recipients of the award this year, picking up the accolade via Zoom alongside Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, the mayor of Freetown in Sierra Leone.
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Rees, who is currently campaigning to win a second term of office at City Hall, was recognised for his “commitment to creating a fairer and more inclusive city”.
Labour leader Keir Starmer was among those to congratulate Rees, tweeting: “Congratulations to the Labour Mayor of Bristol @MarvinJRees on winning the Penn IUR Urban Leadership Award.
“He’s worked tirelessly to tackle Bristol’s housing crisis, improve transportation and reduce health inequalities in the city. A deserved winner.”
The award citation for Rees read: “His priorities are to tackle Bristol’s housing crisis by building more homes, to improve transportation and mobility, to ensure early intervention in health, and to progress social mobility through education and supporting business to identify and connect with talent from disadvantaged communities.
“His One City Plan for Bristol brings together the organizations and groups with the largest footprint in the city to better work together and agree to overarching shared city aims and coordinate solutions to the challenges facing the city as a whole.”
The Penn IUR Urban Leadership Award “has recognized innovators in urban affairs” since 2005.
Previous winners have included the mayors of Atlanta, Indianapolis and Philadelphia in the USA, the mayor of Quito in Ecuador, and a former special assistant to president Barack Obama.
Main photo: Bristol Waste
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