People all over Oahu deserve a resounding mahalo for their warm welcome and gracious hospitality, and especially for their patience, during the historic Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation conference that concluded on Sunday.
Our nation’s president and the visiting Pacific Rim leaders and delegations saw that our community is, without question, up to the task of hosting such a complex and prestigious event, and navigates effectively through logistical challenges.
The entire city team stepped up and performed admirably for all the right reasons. City workers understood the needs and concerns of their neighbors who also travel to work, school and other destinations each day.
Honolulu’s police officers, firefighters and other first responders ensured that public safety remained well-protected islandwide, despite the conference’s daunting security requirements. And people who wished to publicly voice concerns about various issues generally did so in safe and responsible ways.
Volunteers from umerous community groups and churches donated their time and effort to clean parks and sidewalks in advance, proudly putting Honolulu’s best face forward.
Others worked tirelessly at APEC events. Their generosity is truly appreciated.
An array of important special events held in Waikiki, Ko Olina, Waianae, Kualoa and other locations presented many opportunities and challenges.
Smooth cooperation between officials at the city, state and federal levels, the APEC Host Committee and other business and community partners was invaluable.
The city team made a significant extra effort to keep everyone informed about the conference and its potential impacts on daily commutes and other activities.
Public service announcements were broadcast on television and radio to alert the public prior to the conference.
A special Web page was also posted in advance with links to daily schedules, maps and plans that helped people understand and anticipate how normal routines would change, and the need to plan accordingly.
Daily morning news briefings at Honolulu Hale provided reminders and updates about road closures, bus routes, trash collection and other matters. Information was posted on city Facebook and Twitter accounts and sent out in news releases and Nixle alerts, and special telephone hotlines were activated to respond to questions.
People who accessed these information sources and monitored various news media were able to mitigate any disruptions to their normal activities.
Thousands of commuters departed for work extra early and returned later, or otherwise altered their routines to avoid traffic delays.
Obviously, those who live and work in Waikiki, Ko Olina and a few other areas were affected more, and we sincerely thank them for their patience and tolerance.
Honolulu proved that our community has what it takes to host an event of this caliber, and is a global city of diverse cultures that makes an ideal destination for business and diplomacy.
We all learned a great deal from this experience. Evaluating the long-term benefits of hosting APEC will take some time, and not everyone will agree.
But it’s very clear that Honolulu shone during this unprecedented gathering of world leaders on our shores, and that’s something of which we should all be proud.
