Cast your mind back to the autumn of 2001. Amid the chaos and confusion which followed the terrorist attacks on New York, one man unified the city and helped it pull through that traumatic time - and regain a sense of pride. This was not President George W Bush. Rather, it was the mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, who brought the city together, inspiring action and courage. Here was a leader whose high-profile direction showed that local, civic leadership could bring about positive change, and that local people could feel empowered and represented by their leaders. As we welcome Mr Giuliani to our conference, we should not be surprised if he is shocked to visit a country in which there are simply not the same levels of powers for local leaders.
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