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That’s why the regional government from Atlanta, Georgia is choosing Toronto as its second ever out-of-country municipal visit.

“Toronto is a world-class city. Lots of people talk about it. You read it in the newspaper,” said Rob Lebeau, a manager with the Atlanta Regional Commission, who helped coordinate the trip for over 100 civic leaders from his city in early May. This is the 19th time they’ve conducted these municipal missions, and just the second time they’ve gone outside the country. (Vancouver was first, but don’t dwell on that too hard, Toronto.)

And they aren’t just coming to learn about Toronto proper, but the Greater Toronto Area. Their meetings will include leaders from neighbouring municipalities, such as Mississauga and Brampton.

As much as Torontonians can be hard on themselves, LeBeau said the city shines. After spending two separate two-week trips here coordinating the visit, he said he was struck by the vibrancy of the downtown, the city’s diversity and “the amount of life on the streets and the activity occurring.”

It’s easy for city dwellers to walk past random street gatherings or events that have become so common but, to an outsider, those random festivals display Toronto’s vibrancy.

The delegates also hope to learn more about efforts like DiverseCity, as Atlanta struggles to figure out its own settlement services. Though the GTA has some employment issues, LeBeau said it’s economy is much stronger than the American south and cities in Georgia, which were even harder hit by the 2008 recession. He said they want to learn about the city’s “very diverse, very strong economy” and how the region has attracted new industries as manufacturing declines.