Chicago Hosts International Forum On Urban Waterways

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Chicago is playing host to a global forum on how different cities rate using their rivers and other waterways to enhance urban life.

Patricia de Lille, Mayor of Cape Town South Africa, praised Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo for putting together the forum on Urban Waterways in Chicago.

"The problems that we face as cities around the world are common problems, and therefore, we can also have common solutions for that," she said.

Chicago Transportation Commissioner Rebekah Schienfeld said Emanuel will show off the city's Riverwalk project, but also hopes to hear ideas about best practices from the other participants.

Mayors from around the Great Lakes seem unified in opposition of President Donald Trump's environmental policies.

But Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said some problems are distinctive.

"Waters can unite or divide, and in our city, they divide between the haves and the have nots. And we're working on a project to try to bring our city together through Waterways."

Mayor Hidalgo said Waterways are the key of life to the cities.