The theme of the Tenth Session of the World Urban Forum was ‘Cities of Opportunities: Connecting Culture and Innovation’. This edition of the Forum focused on harnessing culture and innovation as drivers of sustainable urban development. Over 15000 participants from more than 150 countries participated in one-week event
Abu Dhabi: Maimunah Mohd Sharif, undersecretary-general and executive director of UN Habitat; Ashraf Ghani, President of Afghanistan; Frank Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji; Falah Mohamed Al Ahbabi, Chairman of the UAE, Department of Municipalities and Transport; Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, member of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council and chairman of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court; Ernesto Ottone R, UNESCO’s Assistant Director-General for Culture along with other dignitaries inaugurated the 10th Edition of World Mayor Forum on February 8, 2020 at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre in Abu Dhabi.
UN chief António Guterres in his video message to delegates said that cities and towns were crucial to deliver sustainable development across the globe during the next decade. He noted that urbanisation is one of the megatrends of our times and steering it well will help address prominent global challenges such as climate change. “As we embark on a Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, the world’s cities, towns and communities will be at the heart of this work”, said the UN chief.
Maimunah Mohd Sharif said sustainable cities is the way forward. “We need urban planners, architects and other experts to cooperate with policymakers and steer urban sustainable development,” said Sharif, adding that nations need to use their diverse cultures to include everyone in developing modern and sustainable cities. “Involving everyone, including women and the youth, in the culture of modernizing our cities is important. By interweaving culture and innovations, we can make our cities sustainable, safe, clean and a better place to live in.”
Mohamed Al Khadar Al Ahmed, Abu Dhabi Department of Municipal Affairs and Transport, welcomed participants to Abu Dhabi, opened the Forum and encouraged participants to engage in “masterpiecing” through an exchange of views and experiences. Ottone R stated “Culture is the transversal bridge that binds three key dimensions of any effective urban development: People, Places, and Policies.”
Falah Al Ahbabi said: “It is a great honour to open this event today with Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This event is important for our nation, as it coincides with this year’s theme, ‘2020: Towards the next 50’, involving UAE citizens and residents to shape life in the country for the next 50 years. It also comes ahead of the Golden Jubilee celebrations
of 2021.
“The World Urban Forum has a strong link to the future growth of the UAE as it will lay the foundations for new collaborations with the voice of Arab urbanism being one of the sources of inspiration,” he added.
“Urgent, systematic and global action is required”, said President Ghani. “We have the tools and repertoire of techniques to solve the problem”, he added, noting that the world needed a State-level change of culture, as well as a fresh approach to the culture of global organisations.
Bainimarama said the Forum offered an opportunity to discuss the role of cities in averting crises by making urban living synonymous with sustainability. He said living standards in cities had grown remarkably, but that progress has come at the cost of a warming world. “The old model of development is untenable; if we continue to urbanise on carbon-intensive industries, the world’s cities will crumble into hotbeds of inequality and extreme vulnerability”, he warned
The opening ceremony of WUF10 featured Wonho Chung, comedian and TV star, showcasing Abu Dhabi’s most iconic landmarks, alongside a series of cultural shows including, a live orchestra and traditional Emirati performance.
As we embark on a Decade of Action to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals, the world’s cities, towns and communities will be at the heart of this work. Urbanisation is one of the megatrends of our times and if we are able to steer it well, we can address prominent
António Guterres, UN Chief
global challenges such as climate change
Following the Opening Session, delegates attended the various assemblies taking place concurrently in the Forum. The importance of working with all levels of government was emphasised at the World Assembly on Local and Regional Governments.
Thembisile Nkadimeng, Mayor of Polokwane, and also the President of the South African Local Government Association referred to the WUF10 theme, Cities of Opportunities Connecting Culture and Creativity, by saying “culture plays an important part in influencing creativity around the world and contributes to inclusive and sustainable development…Local and regional authorities are well placed. Johannesburg has used culture as a key for reversing urban decay.”
‘Youth have a huge role’
The Youth Assembly heard from Ms. Joyce Msuya, Deputy Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), who said: “Youth have a huge role in driving political will. It is time for us to trust the youth. They are ready to listen, link, learn and lead.”
Isaac Muasa, a Young Kenyan community leader told the Youth Assembly that the biggest challenge was unemployment and lack of opportunities.
Juan Ramón Lazcano de la Concha, Vice Mayor of the City of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Canary Islands, Spain, said flexibility would be needed going forward: “We need to generate the ability to resist, change, reform and adapt to everything ahead. There will be new jobs, relationships and ways of inhabiting the planet and these will be future challenges,” he stated.
All India Institute of Local Self-Government (AIILSG) also had a side event under ‘Voices from Cities’. The event was titled ‘Global Launch of Circular Cities’ and was organised in collaboration with UCLG-ASPAC and NIUA.
The 10th session of the World Urban Forum concluded with the adoption of the ‘Abu Dhabi Declared Actions’, which acknowledged that “culture is an integral part of the solution to the challenges of urbanization and achieving the New Urban Agenda”, while “culture is a core component of local identity including heritage, creativity and diversity and urbanisation needs to be planned, designed and managed to enhance this.”