The Eleventh Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF11) - August 2021 Newsletter
Katowice, Poland | 26-30 June 2022
"Good urban planning, one that considers culture, will need to embrace innovation to make the future accessible to all." - Maimunah Mohd Sharif, UN-Habitat Executive Director, WUF10, Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2024.
WUF 11 WILL BE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL
The World Urban Forum is the global platform to enhance partnerships for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda and is setting the urban scene for the years to come.
Under the theme “Transforming Our Cities for a Better Urban Future,” participants in WUF11 will debate how to improve the accessibility of cities, ensuring the digital and physical inclusion of all groups of society, including persons with disabilities and other groups of people with specific needs as a condition for the future of sustainable urban development.
A Roundtable will be dedicated to the priorities of persons with disabilities, and provide critical opportunities for this community to raise their voices and share their collective knowledge and expertise to support decision-makers and urban stakeholders with key steps towards inclusion and accessibility.
The Government of Poland, the City of Katowice and UN-Habitat are working hard to make the Eleventh World Urban Forum (WUF11), being held from 26 to 30 June 2022, the most accessible World Urban Forum ever. This will enable all participants to engage and participate in events and meetings.
ENGAGING THE YOUTH
How can urban regeneration transform socially, economically, and environmentally deprived areas within a city into connected, dynamic, diverse and vibrant neighborhoods?
This requires community inclusion and direct engagement of youth to ensure that urban regeneration efforts are sustainable. Youth can help identify urban development issues and solutions. WUF11 will showcase Katowice as the site of visible and significant socio-economic transformation with the involvement of a dedicated Youth Council established in December 2024.
The Polish Youth Council has been very active in the development and implementation of initiatives related to preparations for WUF11. The Youth Council will organize competitions, debates, and interviews on key challenges surrounding urban policy and the opportunities that sustainable cities offer young people in the lead up to WUF11.
The WUF11 Youth Council is a platform that aims to involve young people not only in terms of participation but also in the preparations for WUF11. The Council will gather students who are passionate about urban issues and the future of our cities. The Council plays a vital role in coordinating initiatives directed to young people and facilitating meaningful youth participation prior to and during WUF11 as part of its program planning process.
Read the full newsletter here: https://unhabitat.org/sites/default/files/2021/08/en_wuf_newsletter_09_august_2021_1.pdf
Learn more about WUF11 here: https://wuf.unhabitat.org/
This will be the first time that the WUF, convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), will take place in Eastern Europe.
The WUF was established in 2001 by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and policies. The first WUF was held in Nairobi, Kenya in 2002 and has been held around the world ever since.
Representatives of national, regional, and local governments, academics, business people, community leaders, urban planners will be among the thousands of people who are expected to attend WUF11 which is co-organized by Poland’s Ministry of Development Funds and Regional Policy and the Municipal Office of Katowice.