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Bloomberg Harvard Initiative seeks to change how local governments operate. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell chimes in.

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Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has been selected to join the distinguished Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

Seattle, Washington – Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has been selected to join the distinguished Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative—a partnership between Bloomberg Philanthropies, Harvard Kennedy School, and Harvard Business School. This initiative is to provide improved tools and knowledge to enable mayors and top city officials to properly run their cities while improving performance for their citizens.

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Announced on July 15, Mayor Harrell is among 39 mayors from 11 nations spanning five continents selected for this special educational project. By improving problem-solving skills and city hall procedures, the project aims to boost local leadership among ever complicated global issues.

“Innovation and improvement are part of Seattle’s DNA, and the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative is an opportunity to double down on our work to be one of the most well-managed and data-driven local governments in the nation. By learning from experts and researchers as well as from other cities facing similar challenges, we can make progress on our most intractable issues,” said Mayor Bruce Harrell.

He thanked Harvard University and Bloomberg Philanthropies for their assistance, which fits Seattle’s goal of being a shining model of effective, data-driven urban government.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has been selected to join the distinguished Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

Credit: Bloomberg Harvard Initiative

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Located at Harvard University’s Bloomberg Center for Cities, the program offers a thorough one-year engagement where local officials will work with Harvard teachers, students, and professionals from the wide network of Bloomberg Philanthropies. Aimed at promoting innovation and cooperation across many sectors, participants will get training in several important areas including economic development, civic participation, and procurement.

This year’s initiative lets cities host a Bloomberg Harvard City Hall Fellow for up to two years, giving direct access to qualified experts who may help to translate knowledge into successful government policies.

Founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and the 108th mayor of New York City, Michael R. Bloomberg emphasized the vital part cities play in reaching national goals.

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“As national governments increasingly rely on cities to help them achieve their goals, there has never been a greater need for investment in the capacity of mayors and local leaders to do big things,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies and Bloomberg L.P. and 108th mayor of New York City.

Supported by a one-million-dollar grant from Bloomberg Philanthropies and supported by the Harvard Kennedy School Government Performance Lab, Seattle is currently working on a Procurement Transformation Project. This initiative is a component of a larger initiative to make city buying more equitable, results-oriented, accessible. Seattle’s dedication to data-driven government was demonstrated last year when it received a gold certification for its data use in city administration by What Works Cities.

Alan Garber, Interim President of Harvard University, complimented the program for bringing together various municipal officials to address urgent social concerns together.

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has been selected to join the distinguished Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative

Credit: Unsplash

“The Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative brings together city leaders from across the nation and the world,” said Harvard University Interim President Alan Garber. “They work with one another and draw on resources from throughout the University to address pressing social problems, improving the lives of millions of people. I am pleased to join Bloomberg Philanthropies in welcoming our eighth cohort of mayors and senior leaders to the program.”

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By means of its all-encompassing approach to city leadership, the Bloomberg Harvard City Leadership Initiative hopes to promote transforming changes in urban administration and community service delivery, hence redefining public sector excellence.

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