Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697648069851.pdf (Bahamas)
August 16, 2023 Media Contact: C. Jillian Gray, Communications, Ministry for Grand Bahama jilliangray@bahamas.gov.bs FREEPORT, BAHAMAS SELECTED AS ONE OF THE 24 CITIES FOR CITIES FORWARD INITIATIVE The Ministry for Grand Bahama is thrilled to announce that City of Freeport is one of the selected 24 cities to participate in the Cities Forward program, a collaborative initiative between the U.S. Department of State, ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, Resilient Cities Catalyst, and the Institute of the Americas.
The City of Freeport, Grand Bahama was selected to partner with the City of Coral Springs, Florida.

Cities Forward was launched at the Cities Summit of the Americas, in Denver Colorado, in April 2023.

The Minister for Grand Bahama, the Honourable Ginger Moxey represented the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and engaged on numerous issues including smart cities and sustainable economic models.
This program is dedicated to assisting Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) and U.S. cities in creating sustainable, inclusive, and resilient futures through project consultation, co-design, and knowledge sharing.
For its initial projects, the Ministry for Grand Bahama has identified the revitalization of impoverished communities; repurposing of dilapidated buildings; addressing challenges of private subdivisions; tackling water, electricity and sewer challenges throughout communities; developing smart cities with innovative solutions; creating sustainable eco-systems for development; and empowering residents through community sustainability programs.
With a strong response of 129 applications for just 24 openings from cities across the Americas, the Ministry for Grand Bahama is pleased to participate in this program focused on urban sustainability, resilience, and inclusion.

We are also pleased to share our experiences and solutions with other cities during the Cities Forward Academy at the final phase of the program in 2025.
Along with the historical collaboration between the City of Freeport, Bahamas and City of Coral Springs, Florida, the Ministry for Grand Bahama is excited to connect with the other selected cities.
The complete list of paired cities of the Cities Forward initiative include: ● Freeport, Bahamas + Coral Springs, Florida ● Ambato, Ecuador + Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ● Cali, Colombia + Baltimore, Maryland ● Cartagena, Colombia + Denver, Colorado ● Fortaleza, Brasil + Hawaii County, Hawaii ● Guatemala City, Guatemala + Dallas, Texas ● Hermosillo, México + Dubuque, Iowa ● Manaus, Brasil + Stockton, California ● Mérida, México + Austin, Texas ● Montego Bay, Jamaica + Hoboken, New Jersey ● Renca, Chile + Evanston, Illinois ● Rosario, Argentina + Chattanooga, Tennessee “The government of The Bahamas is pleased that the City of Freeport has been selected to participate in the Cities Forward program,” said The Honourable Ginger Moxey, Minister for Grand Bahama.
“We recognize that developing resilient, sustainable, inclusive communities throughout the country is crucial to building a stronger Bahamas.
The Ministry for Grand Bahama looks forward to collaborating with Coral Springs, Florida to learn more about their success in key areas, so that we can create and implement similar strategies for the City of Freeport, and by extension, the island of Grand Bahama.” "We are thrilled to collaborate with these cities and tap into their ingenuity and creativity," stated Angie Fyfe, ICLEI USA Executive Director.
"By bringing together local expertise and global perspectives, we can craft innovative, inclusive sustainable solutions that will have a lasting impact across the world.” The Ministry for Grand Bahama, in collaboration with public and private sector organizations, looks forward to working closely with Coral Springs, Florida to build equitable and inclusive economic opportunities, strengthen sustainability, and promote a healthy environment for all.
For more information, visit https://icleiusa.org/cities-forward ### About The City of Freeport Located on Grand Bahama Island in The Bahamas, the City of Freeport is a small metropolis comprised of commerce, industries, ecotourism and residential communities.

Freeport City sits 68 miles off the coast of Florida and boosts beautiful beaches, nature trails, and immersive experiences rooted the country’s rich Bahamian heritage and culture.
About The Ministry for Grand Bahama The Ministry for Grand Bahama is a government ministry in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas that liaises with other government ministries and agencies to lead public and private sector collaboration for the growth and development of Grand Bahama Island, and by extension, The Bahamas.
About ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI) is the first and largest global network of more than 2,500 local and regional governments devoted to solving the world's most intractable sustainability challenges.

The worldwide network is active in 125+ countries, focused on influencing sustainability policies and driving local action across five key pathways: low emissions, resilient, equitable, people- centered, nature-based, and circular development.
About Resilient Cities Catalyst Resilient Cities Catalyst is a nonprofit, founded by members of the 100 Resilient Cities (100RC) leadership team in 2019 to drive catalytic change to help partners solve their most pressing challenges.
Building on the pioneering legacy of 100RC, and in partnership with a community of urban resilience actors, RCC is helping cities build the capacities and partnerships needed to understand, prioritize and concretely address their risks and chronic stresses as they pursue their strategic goals or recover from a crisis.
About Institute of the Americas The Institute of the Americas (IOA) is a non-partisan, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to be a catalyst for promoting economic development and integration, emphasizing the role of the private sector, as a means to improve the economic and social well-being of the people of the Americas.
Throughout our 40-year history, the IOA has convened events of regional importance in an effort to support our mission of promoting better understanding and thought-leadership, surrounding critical issues in energy, climate change and economic development.