NEW CASTLE SUMMIT Hospitality, ideas make impression

Delegates will tour Lawrence County today.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR NEW CASTLE BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- When it comes to exchanging ideas about the environment, Reuben Tshabalala is all ears.
Tshabalala, a member of the executive council in Newcastle, South Africa, is one of about 79 delegates from across the globe who have converged on New Castle, Pa., for the third International New Castle Summit of the World.
The group spent Monday at Slippery Rock University in Butler County to learn how each community deals with environmental problems.
"It's a global problem," said Tshabalala, who said his city is one of the cleanest in South Africa. "We still want to learn more because we want all cities in South Africa to copy from us."
South African officials are hoping environmental consciousness will create jobs.
Those hailing from New Castles across the globe meet every two years to discuss various issues and have in the past tackled education and economic development.
A show of hospitality
While the environment was on everyone's mind Monday, Mayor Timothy Fulkerson of New Castle, Pa., said he's just hoping to show his international visitors American hospitality.
"As they go out and meet the general public, they are getting an idea of how friendly everyone is," Fulkerson said.
"The hospitality has been second to none. We were very well entertained at the Scottish Rite Cathedral for the opening ceremonies," said John Macmillian, mayor of Newcastle-under-Lyme, United Kingdom. An American-style pep rally featuring the bands and cheerleaders from New Castle, Shenango and Union high schools greeted the delegates Sunday.
Macmillian said western Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio are very similar to his region of England.
"Much like this area, my city was once a huge coal producer, steel manufacturer and pottery maker," he said.
And Macmillian is finding the everyday problems he faces as mayor -- unemployment, pollution, lack of recreation space -- aren't much different from problems his counterparts face in many other parts of the world.
"I've been surprised to find every country is dealing with the same environmental issues," he said.
David Hess, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection addressed the group about Pennsylvania's efforts to improve the environment.
"It's amazing how everybody is facing the same problems. [The summit] gives you a chance to steal other people's ideas," Hess said after his speech.
Putting ideas to use
Candee Hovis and Heather Walzer, science teachers at the Laurel School District, said they plan to implement some of the ideas exchanged at Monday's symposium. About 13 pupils from that district attended the symposium along with others from Shenango and Union schools.
"We are going to take ideas from the other countries and implement them here. This is just the beginning of what can blossom into a huge possibility," Walzer said.
The delegates will learn more about the region today as they tour downtown New Castle and Lawrence County. They will travel to New Castle, Ind., on Wednesday to continue learning more about the environment.
B.A. Dlamini, mayor of Newcastle, South Africa, said he's been impressed by the summit of New Castles, which are mostly small communities.
"It's a great idea to bring the small towns together. Mostly you see that with big cities, but the small towns are the roots of the bigger towns," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com