New York stronger after 9/11, says Giuliani

THE former Mayor of New York, Rudolph Giuliani, arrived in Cork last night for a week-long visit to Ireland — his first stay in this country.

Mr Giuliani arrived just three days after the second anniversary of the Twin Towers’ horror. The atrocity elevated him to the status of national hero because of the leadership, focus and sensitivity he displayed in the aftermath of the terrorist attack.

Mr Giuliani told the Irish Examiner that Thursday’s ceremony was possibly sadder for him than the first anniversary commemoration because this time, it was the children of those who had died who read the citations.

“It was worse for me. You cannot escape from the fact that you have to deal with a great deal of emotion (on the day). Because the children all had particular people that they had lost, it made it worse,” he said.

Mr Giuliani is a keynote speaker at an MBA Association of Ireland conference on Friday entitled Leadership in a Changing World, part-sponsored by Thomas Crosbie Holdings Ltd. Mr Giuliani will demonstrate how strong leadership qualities help in coping with challenges in a rapidly changing business environment. During his time as mayor, overall crime fell by 65%. Cities around the world subsequently adopted New York’s law enforcement strategies as blueprints to fight their own crime levels. His skills in dealing with the fallout of September 11 bear testament to his renowned coping strategies.

He said that notwithstanding the terrible tragedy, he believed New York was a “stronger place” because of the sense of unity, determination and purpose that New Yorkers have shown.

Reiterating his full support for President George W Bush’s war on terror, he said the president had been “remarkably consistent” in his policies and that he (Mr Giuliani) had always known that it would take “three to five years to end or reduce the impact of global terrorism.”

Mr Giuliani retired at the end of 2001 but, last night, said he was not ruling out running for elected office again in the future.

Mr Giuliani will share the limelight at the conference with Prof John P Kotter, Professor of Leadership at Harvard Business School, who will join the conference via satellite link.

Ticket line booking inquiries MBAAI 01-2074456 or Silver Springs Hotel 021-4507533.