Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch Announces the Launch of the Strong Cities Network at the United Nations General Assembly
JUSTICE.GOV - Office of the Attorney General - New York, NY, United States - September 29, 2015 -- "…We gather today at a crucial moment of challenge and opportunity for the security of our nations and the well-being of humankind. Fourteen years ago, not far from where we stand today, terrorists carried out a vicious assault on democratic values and inclusive societies everywhere. Their brutal attack claimed the lives of thousands of innocent victims – including citizens from 90 nations. And in the years since that morning when terror rained from the sky, we have continued to see violent extremists emerge from within our own communities - from terrorists inspired by groups like [ISIS] to fanatics motivated by hatred against religious or ethnic factions. Some aspire to travel overseas to train or to fight. Others plot attacks on targets within their homelands. But all are antithetical to the shared vision and common cause that joins us here today in this renowned international forum: commitment to collaboration; dedication to peace; and devotion to the cause of justice within our nations and throughout the world.
It is clear that the challenge of building resilience against violent extremism - a challenge that spans vast oceans and borders while impacting our most tightly-knit cities and towns - requires a response that is both wide-ranging and highly focused. National governments have a crucial role to play in ensuring the safety and security(6) of the nations they serve - and here in the United States, it is our highest priority. Neither the Justice Department I lead nor the administration in which I serve will ever back down from our commitment and our responsibility to safeguard our citizens and defend our homeland. But as a lifelong prosecutor and as a former United States Attorney here in New York, I have also seen firsthand how local authorities can serve as the front lines of our defense against violent extremism. As residents and experts in their communities, local leaders are often best positioned to pinpoint sources of unrest and discord; best equipped to identify signs of potential danger; and best able to recognize and accommodate community cultures, traditions, sensitivities and customs. By creating a series of partnerships that draws on the knowledge and expertise of our local officials, we can create a more effective response to this virulent threat. …
…Until now, we have lacked that mechanism. We haven't had the benefit of sustained or coordinated cooperation among the growing number of cities and municipalities that are confronting this ongoing challenge. Communities have too often been left isolated and alone. But through the
Strong Cities Network that we have unveiled today, we are making the first systematic effort in history to bring together cities around the world to share experiences, to pool resources and to forge partnerships in order to build local cohesion and resilience on a global scale. Today we tell every city, every town and every community that has lost the flower of its youth to a sea of hatred - you are not alone. We stand together and we stand with you.
This is a truly groundbreaking endeavor. By connecting municipal leaders, facilitating information-sharing and providing training
and other assistance whereappropriate, the
Strong Cities Network will help to fashion
a global response to a global issue, without losing sight of its inherently local roots. It will offer city leaders a way to learn from one another about successful initiatives and productive programs. It will provide a platform for discussing community policing and prevention strategies that safeguard the individual rights of citizens. And it will support the practical delivery of community resilience programs in cities that are taking a new look at this evolving issue.
I want you to know that the Obama Administration is deeply committed to ensuring that the
Strong Cities Network is as strong, vibrant and resilient as the cities it unites - because we know this model works. Here in the United States, we have joined with local partners to bring down far-flung human trafficking rings, to strengthen trust in law enforcement, to thwart cybersecurity threats and to combat official and international corruption. Our experience tells us that partnering with city-level officials and the communities they represent extends the reach and deepens the perspective of national governments and international alliances. And connecting those localities to one another - as the
Strong Cities Network is doing - is not only a powerful way to lift up our communities worldwide. It also sends a message about who we are and what we aspire to be -
as an alliance of nations and as a global community. When the representatives of the
Strong Cities Network join together for their first Annual Summit in Paris in Spring 2016, they will be making a strong and clear statement to their citizens and to the world: we stand united against violence, united against fear and united in the pursuit of a better and brighter future. …"
For the complete article, see:
justice.gov/opa/speech/attorney-general-loretta-e-lynch-announces-launch-strong-cities-network-united-nations
