Next week the 696th Lord Mayor of London takes office followed by the Lord Mayor’s Show. As I reflect on the past year in this, my last mayoral column, I hear the American philosopher, William James: “It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition”. I can tell you it takes a frenzied year to make a tiny difference. What’s happened?
The ‘Connect To Prosper’ theme set out to celebrate the many Knowledge Miles of our Square Mile, the world’s coffee house – a place that brings together people from around the world to seek solutions to global problems ranging from AI to zoological conservation. We connected with the 40 learned societies, 70 universities and 130 research institutes within two miles of Guildhall. We had experiments on time travel in 22 Bishopsgate, vibration in the Monument, pollinator counts, microplastic counts and even thermochromic paint on the Mansion House roof. Tens of thousands of people watched 106 Knowledge Mile lectures; thousands attended coffee colloquies to discuss all 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
I spent 100 days travelling to 25 countries around the world. Along with our major trading partners in the US and Gulf, these trips ranged from new partners in ASEAN to 9 trips reinforcing our European connections. Everywhere the warmth and affection for our City was intense. On these trips and at home we sponsored six key initiatives on sustainability, mental health, constructing science, smart economy networks, space protection and ethical AI.
We connected and prospered with our Ethical AI Initiative promoting international standards for regulating AI – specifically ISO 42001, the AI management system – through a course, an accord, and a consensus. A Course – taken by over 6,000 people in 600 firms across 60 countries. The Walbrook AI Accord and the AI Quality Infrastructure Group – leading to 38 countries agreeing to use ISO 42001 for regulation. And the Coffee House Consensus – where $32 trillion of the $77 trillion of assets in the International Corporate Governance Network pledged their support for ISO 42001 and launched a permanent Investor Council on Responsible AI.
Our Space Protection Initiative connected with outer space and beyond to keep space ‘clutter free’ – in aid of investment, meeting 40 per cent of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, security, shipping and telecommunications. London Market insurers pledged to provide Space Debris Retrieval Insurance Bond if governments require them as a condition of launch. And the 56 nations of the Commonwealth concur with our proposal as part of their CommonSpace programme.
On climate the City Carbon Credit Cancellation Service with C2Zero gives individuals and businesses the ability to purchase and retire carbon emissions allowances directly from the high-quality UK Emissions Trading Scheme. The Galenos project led by Oxford University and supported by MQ Mental Health, Lord Mayor’s Appeal and WellcomeTrust is speeding up and improving the quality of mental health research globally. And finally the Smart Economy Network Initiative could help boost economic growth around the world using X-Road open source technology for trade documentation and digital verification.
These highlights align too with traditional highlights from the opening Lord Mayor’s Show to state banquets with Japan and Korea, Thames Day, Pepys Day, abseiling, horse riding, numerous charity events and a festival of music, invention and knowledge.
I remain firm in my belief that London is the most intense concentration of knowledge networks in the world – a dynamic hub for innovation. The English author GK Chesterton said: “Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors”. It also means giving a voice that most important of all classes, our posterity. When we connect we prosper. Signing off as your 695th Lord Mayor.