Ban Ki-moon to witness Chicago’s ‘greening’ efforts during upcoming visit

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will be travelling later this week to Chicago where he will see first-hand how the major United States city is tackling climate change.

The two-day visit beginning on Thursday is part of his tour of major US cities, Mr. Ban’s spokesperson, Michele Montas, told reporters in New York.

The Secretary-General will meet with Mayor Richard Daley to discuss his efforts to turn Chicago into America’s greenest city, Ms. Montas said.

He will also visit a “green” building, stop by a local high school, and also attend events at the MacArthur Foundation, the Economic Club of Chicago, and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.

Climate change – which Mr. Ban calls the “defining issue of our era” – was a key topic during the Secretary-General’s visit to the US city of San Francisco last July, and featured prominently in discussions with California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Ms. Montas also announced that Mr. Ban is planning to attend the Global Insight Summit, scheduled to take place at the fifth annual Jackson Hole Film Festival in early June in the US state of Wyoming.

“The Global Insight Summit represents an unprecedented collaboration, bringing together entertainment leaders and UN officials to explore how film and television can be leveraged to bring awareness to global issues,” said Ms. Montas.