3 good reasons to join URBACT at the 2022 World Urban Forum

You have at least three good reasons to register to the WUF until 22 June:

1. Get inspired by the latest urban trends, good practices from EU cities

The Polish Ministry of Funds and Regional Policy as well as the Polish Institute of Urban and Regional Development have put together a European Track programme dedicated to the European dimension of sustainable urbanisation and a just transformation of cities.

Amongst the plethora of parallel sessions here’s a short selection for you:

28 June:

11.30-13.00: “When local actions meet national support” , organised by URBACT and the City of Tallinn under the European Track

This session will present how EU cities like Tallinn (EE), Jihlava (CZ), Glasgow (UK), and Espoo (FI) localise SDGs and what kind of national support enables them to successfully implement their actions for a more equitable and inclusive future.

29 June:

9.00-12.00: “What is a gender equal city and how to become one”, training session organised by URBACT under the WUF programme

The training will start by showing examples of gender inequality and equality in EU cities. It will then give an overview of tools and methods for integrating gender into sustainable urban development processes (including public procurement) and will allow participants to test out one tool in a peer-learning environment. The ultimate goal is that participants who have attended this session will pass on the training to fellow colleagues and co-develop their own vision for gender equality in their city or municipality.

The European Commission will also organise a series of events as part of the dedicated building block of the European Track within WUF11 programme.

The series of 14 events organised or co-organised by the European Commission aims to highlight the EU approach towards integrated sustainable urban development through various dimensions. They will complement other European track sessions and thematic areas by showcasing key priorities for supporting cities and urban development actors in taking forwards the green, digital and just transition in urban areas, while using common sustainability principles and requirements for integrated development.

Among events organised by the European Commission and its partners, there will be sessions focusing on:

·        key principles of sustainable urban development, such as citizens’ engagement,

·        strategic areas including economic, social and territorial Cohesion, climate neutrality and innovation as well as digital transition,

·        tools and methods,

·        external partnerships

2.    Find out what’s going on in other non EU cities and continents

28 June:

14.30-16.00: How to achieve sustainable, inclusive and participatory urban development? Learnings from the experience of African and European cities, a networking session organised by the ASTON network and URBACT

This session will show how African and EU cities have used participatory, integrated, and result-oriented approaches in the design of their local policies, and how experimentation has proved a useful guide. These approaches can be taken by any kind of city, small or big, no matter where.
 

3.    Network:

10 000 participants and guests representing national, regional, and local governments, academics, business leaders, community leaders, urban planners are expected to attend WUF11.

Many participating organisations will welcome participants to their stands in ‘Urban Expo’, a dedicated exhibition space. After two years of travel restrictions, this is a great opportunity to meet in-person possible partners for future calls, projects and joint initiatives, or even discover existing or upcoming funding opportunities.

Members of the URBACT Secretariat will be present at the URBACT stand of the Urban Expo to inform participants about the novelties of the URBACT IV programme and about the next call for Action Planning Networks to be launched in October 2022.