http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/520912
TOP 10 CITIES
The top 10 "global cities," according to Foreign Policy magazine, A.T. Kearney consultants and The Chicago Council on Global Affairs. The rankings were based on five broad criteria – business, culture, human capital, global political influence and centrality to global information flows.
1. New York
2. London
3. Paris
4. Tokyo
5. Hong Kong
6. Los Angeles
7. Singapore
8. Chicago
9. Seoul
10. Toronto
Toronto 4th in world for culture
Oct 21, 2008 04:30 AM
Iain Marlow
Staff Reporter
Note: This article has been edited to correct a previously published version.
Toronto ranks as the world's fourth best city to experience culture, behind only London, Paris and New York, a new study on globalization has found.
Washington, D.C.-based Foreign Policy magazine's inaugural Global Cities Index, in the November/December issue, assesses 60 urban areas around the globe in five broad categories: business, human capital, culture, global political influence and the centrality of the city to global information flows.
The "cultural experience" category tallies cities' international sporting events and international travellers, and assesses their restaurants, museums and performing arts.
Toronto received praise for the quality and cosmopolitan nature of its cuisine – 94 per cent of our top restaurants are "international" – and the city's place in the North American touring circuit.
The survey's data also cites Massey and Roy Thomson halls and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Toronto placed 10th overall out of the 60, edging out Washington, D.C., which came in 11th. But Toronto ranks lower in international business and global political influence, 26th and 24th respectively.
Toronto fared better as a place of international learning, as the 13th best place to take a university degree. In that category, it's sandwiched between Bangkok and Madrid – and distant from London, Tokyo and Singapore, all in the top five.
The top business cities were New York, Tokyo, Paris, and London, while Washington, D.C. placed first in terms of international political influence.
Kolkata, India, ranked 60th, placed close to last in every category.
Four of the top 10 "global cities" were in North America, four in Asia and two in Europe.
"The term itself conjures a command centre for the cognoscenti. It means power, sophistication, wealth, and influence. To call a global city your own suggests that the ideas and values of your metropolis shape the world," the authors wrote.
Foreign Policy has published indexes measuring countries' levels of globalization, and ranked the world's top 100 public intellectuals.
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I find it somewhat surprising that Toronto made it to the Top 10, and it's not because I'm pessimistic. I just think that Toronto earned its spot a bit on the cheap, without making too much of an effort. Toronto stands out on its own... it is not the metropolis of a global or regional empire like London, Paris, Moscow, New York/Washington or Tokyo. Nor did it have to throw out billions of dollars on prestige projects like cities in China, Moscow and especially Dubai to "buy" world-class city status. Toronto seems to have gotten its status just with simple things- good quality of life, multiculturalism, a healthy economy, excellent social welfare, and a couple of pro sports teams. (considering the number of home games the Blue Jays play, no wonder we are #4 in cultural experience by GCI's criteria!)
Now that we have world-class status, why don't we put away our pessimism and celebrate our global city status, just like the city where I come from:
