KINSTON, N.C. (WNCT) — Kinston Mayor Don Hardy will be making a trip to New York this week.

He’s participating in the Strong Cities Global Summit. Mayors and other local government leaders from more than 70 cities around the globe will be there. Hardy will sit on a panel with other leaders from Canada, Ghana, Iraq and other countries to discuss hate crimes in their communities.

“I look forward to bringing back information to the city of Kinston, and not just the city, but our state, to see how we can be more vigilant and how we can use information that they’re using to put in place to stop and or deal with the hatred and polarization in our communities,” Hardy said.

The conference includes events with Columbia University’s Public Affairs School and the mayor of New York’s Office for Prevention of Hate Crimes.