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Premier Shawn Graham is defending the credibility of the Intelligent Community Forum, which has named Fredericton and Moncton as two of the seven "most intelligent" cities in the world.

The forum is funded by the broadband industry and one of its founders told CBC News that those companies see it as a way to market their products and services.

But Graham said on Wednesday that the forum has other sponsors and it's credible.

"This competition is brought forward at an academic level through New York University. It's been well-recognized across the globe as one of the most important competitions to enter into," Graham told reporters.

"And today you know I'm very proud of the fact that we have two communities in New Brunswick, both Fredericton and Moncton, in the intelligent communities competition."

Other cities in the event are in the United States, France, Sweden, Estonia and the Netherlands.

Graham is heading to New York on Thursday for the forum's annual conference along with officials from his government and Moncton and Fredericton.

The provincial government is co-sponsoring a reception at the ICF conference on Thursday evening.

The forum will announce Friday afternoon the city it considers the most intelligent community in the world.