City Economic Development Director Ann Chung, said the event aim to bring residents, businesses, community leaders, private organizations and the City together "to come up with practical, concrete ideas to make Kalihi a better place to live, work and raise families."

The summit will draw a wide range of participants, from the Kalihi Business Association and Kamehameha Schools to the Filipino Chamber of Commerce and the Building Industry Association of Hawaii.

"Kalihi is one of Oahu's oldest neighborhoods, and many, many people in today's Honolulu have roots there," said Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who grew up there. "For many people, it was their family's first home in Hawaii, as it was for my family.

"Kalihi remains a fascinating, diverse mix of cultures, tastes and languages, but it could use an infusion of economic horsepower," Hannemann said. "We hope to follow the model of our highly successful Chinatown Summit in June last year, which produced a wealth of great ideas and actions."

The summit will start at 4 p.m. with Flavors of Kalihi, a sampling of heavy pupu dishes from many well-known Kalihi eateries.

After that, Hannemann will present the keynote speech, discussing the City's commitment to revitalizing Kalihi, followed by:

i Supporting Kalihi's Businesses, by the Kalihi Business Association, Filipino Chamber of Commerce, Empower Oahu and Day in Kalihi.

i Developing Kalihi's Workforce, by Work Hawaii / Oahu Worklinks, Honolulu Community College, Building Industry Association, and the Pacific Gateway Center.

i Economic Revitalization, by the Kamehameha Schools and Urban Land Institute.

i Empowering Kalihi's Youth, performance by Farrington High School's Hope Through Music program.