Speaking Out at World Urban Forum
Clive Harridge, Director of Entec’s Development Planning team, and RTPI Vice President, spoke at the 2nd World Urban Forum held in Barcelona on 13-17th September. The event was attended by more than 3000 delegates.
World leaders, top politicians, professionals and members of the public from around the world met to discuss how to make cities more inclusive, safer and better governed. The Forum was a key event organised by UN-HABITAT to help highlight the problems and possibilities of cities.
Mikhail Gorbachev, in addressing the opening session, drew attention to the urgency of problems arising from rapid urbanisation. The Forum also heard from many of the 600 city mayors at the Forum who gave graphic accounts of urbanisation in their cities.
Held every two years, the first World Urban Forum was in Nairobi in 2002 and the next will be in Vancouver in 2006. The theme for this year’s event was Cities: Crossroads of Culture, Inclusiveness and Integration?
The mission of UN-HABITAT is to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.
As well as Mikhail Gorbachev, the Forum received an address from Kofi Annan and contributions from UN-HABITAT Executive Director Mrs Anna Tibaijuka and many other world leaders. Numerous new initiatives were launched including work by the United Cities and Local Governments organisation and the Commonwealth.
Clive Harridge spoke at sessions on Planning Practice in an Urbanising World and Urban Planning Revised. Commenting on the event, Clive reflected that:
“ Rapid urbanisation is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. It has led to one billion people currently living in slums - on present trends this could double. UN-HABITAT is a global driving force in helping to tackle the crisis.
I was encouraged by many speakers at the conference who highlighted new and innovative approaches to poverty alleviation, mass housing provision, slum upgrading and community development. But the challenges are huge.
Planning has a key role, but traditional planning methods are not well suited to rapid urbanisation. A change in the culture of planning is desperately needed to ensure that slum eradication and urbanisation take place in more sustainable ways in future.
What is needed more than ever is ‘pro-poor’ planning. Through focussing on the specific needs of poor urban communities there is a chance to secure a better future for cities and their inhabitants.”
The RTPI is working closely with the Canadian Institute of Planners and the American Planning Association in preparing for the next World Urban Forum in Vancouver which will coincide with the World Planning Congress and the 2006 meeting of the Commonwealth Association of Planners.
For further information visit:
Royal Town Planning Institute
United Nations Human Settlements Programme
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