Saffo meets with Iraqi counterpart

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo got a special visit at City Hall today. Through an interpreter Saffo spent several minutes talking with Mayor Mahmood Khalif Ahmed al Bomandi of Samarra, Iraq.

The visit was part of an international leadership program. Mayor Saffo said Mayor al Bomandi wanted to meet with the mayor of American cities where tourism and rivers are mainstays. He also made a special invitation to his Wilmington counterpart.

“I would love to visit Samarra,” Saffo said after receiving the invitation. “I would like to go visit Iraq, because I’m interested in history. I know you have the oldest ancient city in the world, Samarra. That’s where civilization began in Iraq.”