CEREMONIES

Monday, June 19th - 10:00 - 11:00
Location: VCEC - Exhibit Hall A

Opening Ceremony
Description: The World Urban Forum III opened with a welcoming ceremony followed by statements by dignitaries and key partners.
Traditional Aboriginal Welcome
Master of Ceremonies
Eric Falt, Director of the Division of Communications & Public Information, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Kenya
Welcoming Remarks
Charles Kelly, Commissioner General, World Urban Forum 3, Government of Canada
Sam Sullivan, Mayor, City of Vancouver, Canada
Gordon Campbell, Premier, Province of British Columbia, Canada
Message from Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan
Opening Address
Anna Tibaijuka, Under Secretary-General, United Nations; Executive Director, UN-HABITAT, Kenya
Noli de Castro, Vice President, Government of the Philippines
Ali Mohamed Shein, Vice President, Government of Tanzania
Keynote Address
The Right Honourable Stephen Harper, Prime Minister, Government of Canada
Opening Plenary Chairs
Marï¿½a Antonia Trujillo, Minister of Housing, Government of Spain; Chair, WUF 2
Diane Finley, Minister, Human Resources and Social Development, Government of Canada; Chair, WUF 3
Adoption of agenda and organization of work for WUF 3

Plenary Speakers
Alphonso Jackson, Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, Government of the United States of America
Kumari Selja, Minister of State for Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Government of India
Naokazu Takemoto, Secretary-General of the Japan Parliamentarians on HABITAT (Senior Vice-Minister of Finance), Japan
Smangaliso Mkhatshwa, Co-President, United Cities and Local Governments, South Africa
Enrique Ortiz, Secretary General, Habitat International Coalition

Friday, June 23rd - 11:00 - 13:00
Location: VCEC - Exhibit Hall A

Description: The WUF3 closing ceremony celebrated both the achievements of the conference and looked to the future. The ceremony opened with the presentation and acceptance of the Report from the Representative for the Chair of WUF3, followed by remarks from various civil society groups who commented on their forward planning as a result of the outcomes of the Forum. The closing ceremony also marked the introduction of Nanjing, China as the next host city for World Urban Forum IV (2008). WUF3 closed with a truly unique, truly Canadian theatrical event; the Canadian Cirque. Performers defied the audience's imagination with their acrobatic feats, strength and elegance choreographed in a lavish performance exclusive to the World Urban Forum.

Presentation of the Report on WUF 3

Closing Plenary Speakers
John Pombe Magufuli, Minister for Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Government of Tanzania; Co-chair, WUF 3
Pierre Sané, Assistant Director-General, UNESCO
John Kaputin, Secretary General, African Caribbean and Pacific Group Secretariat, Belgium

Representatives of HABITAT Partners
ï¿½ Civil Society
ï¿½ Women
ï¿½ Private Sector
ï¿½ Youth

Welcome to Nanjing, China & WUF 4
Wang Guangtao, Minister of Construction, China
Lu Bing, Deputy Mayor of Nanjing, China
Film presentation of the host city and country for WUF 4

Closing Remarks
Anna Tibaijuka, Under Secretary-General, United Nations; Executive Director, UN-HABITAT, Kenya
James Moore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Works; Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Pacific Gateway and the Vancouver-Whistler Olympics, Government of Canada (TBC)