ALL CANDIDATES
By Alphabetical order
A
E
F
H
I
K
U
W
O
Q
V
X
Y
Z
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Alex Francisco
Organization : Arcadis
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
2022 Support: Arcadis is sponsoring two UTC events in 2022 and has proposed a Networking Event for the WUF. The Shelter Program (Arcadis) also advertises WUC partner events (e.g., webinars) for those topics that are relevant to our client partners. Arcadis supported the WUC/UN-Habitat MIPIM event by providing two speakers. Arcadis has provided branding support for UN-Habitat events such as World Habitat day.
My profile :
I am one of the two Global Program Managers for the Shelter Program which is a 12-year partnership between Arcadis and UN-Habitat to implement sustainable development projects in the Global South. I am also the Ecology Community of Practice lead for Arcadis North America to address ecosystem services in our environmental permitting and planning business line.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Arcadis is interested in seeing how we can coordinate between the WUC, our private sector client base and other private-sector organization with which we are involved (e.g., WBCSD). Increased coordination between these sectors and organization would foster wide adoption of policy recommendations developed by the WUC.
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Alexis Galinos
Organization : Organization Earth
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Organization Earth, an award-winning Greek NGO, is a citizens’ initiative founded in 2010. Our mission is to deliver community-driven change towards a fair and resilient society, as anchored in the UN SGDs. Our work focuses on promoting nature-based solutions for climate-neutral and inclusive cities, including pocket parks, urban forests, community gardens, green roofs, and implementing development programs for vulnerable social groups, engaging local communities. As a WUC member, we have organized and implemented numerous events under the auspices of the WUC, such as "Urban Green Deal I" and "Urban Green Deal II". On all of our initiatives and actions, we have strived to share the message, that sustainability in cities is of paramount importance, whether through citizen engagement, or experiential education.
My profile :
Alex Galinos, Executive Director. He is a development economist, founding member of Kollectiva for Social Innovation and Culture and Vice Chairman of the Athens Festival. He holds extensive experience in sustainable urban development having designed and managed on behalf of the Municipality of Athens, one of Europe’s first pilots in Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI). He holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Harvard University, an MSc in European Social Policy from the London School of
Economics and Political Science and a BA in Economics from Bates College.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
As an organization whose main pillar is to promote and implement actions supporting sustainable development and urban resilience, the World Urban Campaign has supported us in providing a platform to network and create synergies with civil society organizations nationally and internationally.
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Analia Lourdes Pastran
Organization : Smartly Social Entrepreneurship on the SDGs
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
From Smartly we have been organizing UTCs in Latin America, like the UTC Vibrant and Inclusive Urban Life in Mexico 2019 -in person- & Ecuador 2020 and 2021-online-, as well as Special UTCs COVID-19 about: "The wage gap, social security, and small business during pandemics", "Reporting during the Pandemic", "Multi-level Governance to face the pandemic and recovery".
We’ve been working in the drafting committee of the Manifesto for TCWNN and also, we have an active participation with ideas and suggestions during the WUC meetings to improve worldwide the presence of the Campaign.
My profile :
Executive Director of Smartly Social Entrepreneurship on the SDGs, Buenos Aires. Pastran was awarded with the Presidential Award of the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) during the Day 27th June 2020 and the Entrepreneurial Leadership award by the International Council for Small Business (ICSB) in Salerno, Italy.
Member in the Steering Committee of the World Urban Campaign since 2019. Pastran was elected Co-Chair in the Partner Constituent Group (PCG) of Professionals (PCG10) the World Urban Campaign.
Pastran was Mentor in The Global Hack in the track #empowerment about Fighting the Global Crisis COVID-19 organized by the UN SDG Action Campaign, as well as in the Hatch CoLab focused on Humanity’s Grand Challenges and the Sustainable Development Goals based in Geneva. She was also Mentor in the Program, Women in Public Policy of Cornell Institute for Public Affairs, Cornell University, New York.
Guest Editor in the JICSB Journal Special Issue about Sustainable Entrepreneurship. Pastran has given lectures in the United States, France, Egypt, Indonesia, Mexico, Ecuador, Guatemala, the Dominican Republic, among other countries.
Pastran has coordinated the organization of the Urban Thinkers Campus, Vibrant and Inclusive Urban Life in Mexico 2019 -in person- & Ecuador 2020 and 2021-online-, as well as Special UTCs COVID-19 about: The wage gap, social security, and small business during pandemics, Reporting during the Pandemic, Multi-level Governance to face the pandemic and recovery. Also, she was chosen by UN Habitat to plan and develop the relaunching of the Urban Journalist Academy (Buenos Aires and Mexico - in person, 2019-).
Tenure Professor of Transnational Policy and Political Communication and Associate Professor of Strategy & Geopolitics in the Catholic University of La Plata, Argentina, and Professor of Communication and Marketing in the Master on Political Leadership and Crisis Management at Pegaso University of Italy and the International Institute for Global Security Studies in Spain.
Currently, she is also Head of International Relations of the National Road Safety Agency of Argentina. She was also the Chief Press of the Agency. She received the Road Safety Communication Award by the National Directorate of Roads (DNV) and the Association of Journalists of Traffic and Transport of Argentina (APTTA). Co-author of the "Style Manual on Traffic Communication, a deontological approach", with the journalist Ginart Illera and APTTA. Her work was declared an invaluable contribution to road safety by the Chamber of Deputies of Argentina. She is facilitator in the Health and Road Safety United Nations Road Safety Found (UNRSF)’ Platforms of Engagement and also a member in the Gender Equality and Road Safety Group.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
My motivation is to accelerate The City We Need Now (TCWNN) implementation and the connection between the local practices and the global context, as well as sharing the experience that we have in Smartly on the fields of Parliaments and SDGs, Sustainable Entrepreneurs and Women 2030, among others. In that sense, I will be extremely honored to collaborate connecting the Sustainable Developments Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda (NUA) for a better and sustainable urban life.
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Anne Louise Meincke
Organization : Plan International
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and gender equality. We strive for a just world, working together with children, young people, our supporters and partners. Plan International set up the Urban Hub to advance and coordinate the organisation's innovation, capacity, and good practices in urban contexts. Furthermore, the Urban Hub exist to scale up our work in urban contexts, our influence in the urban policy agenda and partnership and collaborations with other organisations to advance the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Plan International has over 20 years experience of working in urban contexts, and is a member of the WUC Children and Youth Group, and has co-hosted Urban Thinkers Campus webinars.
My profile :
As the Urban Hub Manager I am responsible for coordinating and advancing Plan International's approaches and interventions for children and young people in urban contexts, across development, sponsorship and humanitarian areas. In addition to managing the urban research and action learning initiative, I provide capacity building and technical expertise, and work with a multitude of urban stakeholders (UN agencies, private sector, governments, civil society and community based organsations). In my previous roles I have worked as a policy advisor, human rights advocate and strategic partnerships manager to NGOs, governments and UN agencies, with a particular focus on marginalised urban children and young people. I am also currently undertaking a part-time PhD focusing on street youth in African cities, based on participatory research.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I have participated in the children and youth group as an organisational representative and enjoy working in collaboration with other like-minded organisations within a coordinated forum. As part of the chairing I would also like to build a stronger relationship between Plan International and WUC, as well as expanding the group members, hosting joint UTC webinars and actively participate in the wider WUC. I do however, only propose myself as a co-chair, if any other applications would like to share the role, in order to manage my capacity.
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Bassey Bassey
Organization : HipCity Innovation Centre
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
In the last three years, our organization has been working with subnational government and communities to strengthen city governance systems. We have particularly led researches that has been published which speaks directly to rethinking cities in the context of people-centric planning.
At the moment, we are leading discussions as to how Nigeria and Abuja as a city can review its masterplan to be inclusive taking into consideration the poor, persons with disability, women and girls.
My profile :
I am Executive Director of HipCity Innovation Centre, Nigeria. I am an environmental geologist by training with over six(6) years working in the development space where my areas of interest are resilient urban and rural communities. I am a writer, storyteller, researcher with published researches, articles in urbanet and national dailies in Nigeria. In the last three years I have managed several projects from international and national donors in Nigeria which has brought about desired results in many communities. In my current role as Executive Director I am directly in-charge of project ideation, proposal writing, external relations with local and international partners, project management/coordination, human resource management- this requires me to keep my team and colleagues motivated and energized to carryout their tasks appropriately and support them in areas where they're lacking in technical capacity or need motivation to do so.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
The world is urbanizing at an astonishing rate and Africa is rapidly urbanizing too with global projection estimating that urban population may exceed rural population before the year 2100. When I am elected as WUC chair, I hope to engage with government, city planners, the private sector to design cities that are inclusive, city that are people centric, one that recognizes the agility of youthfulness and the wisdom of senior citizens, the uniqueness of persons with disabilities as humans that must be respected and cared for in all city designs consideration.
I will work with creative and technical individuals, communities, government to design cities that thinks of climate change as an opportunity to save the earth for future generations but also revitalize the innovation of youth and the guidance of the early to mitigate and adapt to climate change.
I will encourage at all levels, the need to create dignified jobs for all age bands, people without stereotypes and stigmatization.
I will advocate for safe cities, where women and girls, people of diverse sexual orientation will feel safe to walk and work in without fear of being haunted, discriminated against. Lastly I will advocate for the rights of the indigenous people whose identity are being threatened and their homes and livelihood wrestled for modernity.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Indigenous people the world over are losing their identity, their homes, their rights to co-exist and even their livelihood. They are amongst the poorest people globally and often excluded from decision making processes. As PCG I will amplify the right abuses suffered by indigenous people in the course of city expansion, experiments.
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Bruce Stilfel
Organization : Global Planning Education Association Network (GPEAN)
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
GPEAN, a network of eleven urban planning school associations worldwide, promotes capacity building and research in sustainability, equity, economic development and environmental protection, including advancing the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs. We organize conferences, publish books, and support quality urban planning in the efforts on international organizations such as UN-Habitat. We have an MOU with UN-Habitat's University Network Initiative.
My profile :
I am professor emeritus of city and regional planning at Georgia Institute of Technology, co-chair of UN-Habitat's University Network Initiative (UNI) Steering Committee, and chair of the research and knowledge working group of Planners 4 Climate Action. I was president of the [U.S.] Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning, founding chair of GPEAN, and GPEAN representative to UNI. I served as chapter author for the 2009 Global Report on Human Settlements and for the 2016 World Cities Report, and as a member of the Expert Group on International Guidelines for Urban and Territorial Planning. I was an active member of the Researchers and Academia Partner Constituency Group of the General Assembly of Partners. I was a member of organizing teams for three Urban Thinkers Campuses and attended two WUC steering committee meetings in the past (in Kuala Lumpur and in Nairobi) as an alternate for the UNI representative to WUC.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Hundreds of universities and thousands of academic staff are engaged with education and research that advances the objectives of UN-Habitat, but the vast majority of this work takes place without effective linkage to UN-Habitat policy making and program operations. Building stronger links between UNH and the academic and research sector would greatly assist alignment of its work with UNH goals and would advance UNH decision making. The WUC is an important channel to support these links.
I would seek to increase the visibility of WUC among researchers and academics through learned societies and professional associations, to increase the degree to which WUC gives voice to results of scholarly research.
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Charlie Chandra
Organization : Tradisional IP MAN Wing Chun
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Spreading Heritage knowledge on Culture Tradition especially on Martial Art Wing Chun.
My profile :
Done twice youth seminary Wing Chun programs over 3 days in Mexico.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Indroducing and keeping both the culture and the heritage of WIng Chun alive, known, remembered and even be use in out daily life.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
keep spreading, introducing, preserving the culture and heritage of Wing Chun alive around the world.
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Christian Hubel
Organization : STIRN
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
STIRN is a freelance education and consulting service provider.
Together with our customers we develop individual and demand-oriented concepts, which meet the economic and human aspects.
We implement these innovatively, reliably and successfully with experience.
As a company, we live this balance with our employees themselves.
As a freelance education and consulting service provider, we use our experience to implement innovative, reliable and successful solutions.
We stand for educational equity and unite speakers in all subject areas from all over the world.
Together with our customers we develop individual and demand-oriented concepts, which meet the economic and human aspects.
As a provider of continuing education and training, the Studieninstitut Rhein-Neckar has its roots in the Mannheim city administration, for which it now operates as a service provider as a non-profit limited company. Thanks to our many years of experience in this segment, we can demonstrate special expertise in municipal matters.
My profile :
My name is Christian Hubel https://www.mannheim.de/en/shaping-the-city/strategic-controlling-office and I am the Citydirector of Mannheim for Democracy & Strategy and member of the Steering Comitee for 6 years and Head oft he PCG 1 since 2021. In this „Covid“-period the role of Local governments was institutionalized in the new WUC terms of Reference. Last month we officially started „The City we need“ campaign Europe and are now recruiting new members for Europe. With support from the National Government and Institutions, we developed a Role Model for localising and implementing the SDG´s with the participation of citizenships in cities and regions. For years I work in different Global Networks for localising and implementing the SDG´s (Eurocities, SDG Alliance by Brookings etc.) and was member of several international Expert Group Meetings (UN DESA, UN Habitat, UCLG etc.) on localising and implementing the SDG´s, making Voluntary Local Reviews, Quadrennial Report and intertwining global and local sustainability. Since then, I have organized more than seven UTCs, and exchanging its experience in practical and strategic benchlearning with a lot of other citynetworks (Norway, India,, Ghambia etc.) and cities worldwide (NYC, Helsinki, Madrid, Mexico, Accra, Buenos Aires, Chisinau, Quingdao etc.). others. I am Chair of the Eurocities Working Group Urban Agenda for the EU.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
As Chair of the Local and Subnational Authorities Working Group, I see my role as getting local and subnational authorities more involved in the WUC, in partnership with their NGOs in their entities for working on the SDG's with tangible efforts in their various areas and aggregating a collective impact that is due to the WUC.
Following the motto "Leaving no one and no place behind", it is also time to put a special focus on small and medium communities. Here, the barrier to participation in international exchange often seems much greater. How can these challenges be overcome? How can international exchange and city-to-city learning be promoted for medium-sized and smaller municipalities? . It would be an honour and incentive for me to lead the PCG 1 again and to win more cities and non governmental organisations for the WUC and establishing their UTC´s and SDG Actions.
This would include the organization of practical benchlearning and the establishment of a powerful global network for this working group with new partners (local and subnational authorities).
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Christopher Elisara
Organization : First+Main Films & Better Cities Film Festival
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
We tell stories about cities, towns, and communities, the challenges they face and the solutions they devise and implement for building better places for all. We run the UN-Habitat Better Cities Film Festival at WUF's and post WUF11 traveling mini-festivals that can be screened by UN-Habitat and WUC partners, and other affinity organizations around the world.
My profile :
I am the co-founder and co-owner of First+Main Films and the Better Cities Film Festival.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
N/A
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
During my time as civil-society PCG co-chair from 2000-2022 we did not have a PCG media chair. Thankfully we had other PCG chairs with media experience that they could lend to WUC. Given this context I am seeking election as a media professional to focus my advice and support to WUC in the area of media. In addition, I will work on adding more media partners to join WUC.
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Claus-Peter Echter
Organization : ICOMOS
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
ICOMOS is committed of the UN-Habitat World Urban Campaign by:
1. Supporting and promoting the World Urban Campaign principles in order to achieve sustainable cities and urban communities worldwide,
2. Sharing relevant experiences and tools to advance a positive vision of urban development, placing cities at the center of
strategies for change,
3. Disseminating the key messages of the World Urban Campaign,
4. Participating in local, national, and international events in support of the World Urban Campaign, including the Urban Thinker campuses (UTCs)
5. Participating through in-kind contributions to World Urban Campaign activities by providing expertise and services (areas of
collaboration). ICOMOS contributes to the development and generation of new knowledge in support of sustainable urban development and within the framework of the World Urban Campaign in its thematic clusters: a planned city, a green city, an inclusive city, a resilient city, and a safe and healthy city.
My profile :
Dr Claus-Peter Echter holds a diploma in Sociology, has done Post Graduate studies of urban planning and heritage conservation (Certificates) and holds a PhD in architecture. ICOMOS member since 2007 and Secretary General of ICOMOS ISC on Historic Cities, Towns and Villages (CIVVIH) from 2012 - 2018. Member of the ICOMOS Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG), of the Task Force on the New European Bauhaus Project and represented CIVVIH at many ICOMOS World Heritage Panels. He served as President of ICOMOS CIVVIH from 2018-2021 and now as Immediate Past President. Since 2020 he is the ICOMOS focal point for the UN Habitat World Urban Campaign (WUC), elected CO-Chair of the WUC Partner Constituent Group Professionals and member of the WUC Steering Committee. Furthermore he is also a member of Europa Nostra (EN) since 2007. He was a council member of EN from 2012-2021, Vice President of EN Germany from 2009-2019 and now again since 2019. In the same year he became Honorary member of EN Germany. His main interests revolve on sustainable development of historic cities and cultural world heritage issues.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I wish to run for the PCG 10 Professionals Chair in the WUC election 2022. and would like to ask for your support for my candidacy. I pursue this lead position on the basis of the significant and noteworthy contributions I have made as Co-chair of this PCG 10 Professionals and member of the WUC Steering Committee for the past two years.
I worked actively as a member of the drafting groups on the “WUC call to action“ (2021) and “The City we need now (TCWNN)“ (2022) and cooperated in the UTCs on Beirut (2021) and Climate Heritage Planning (2022).
Why do I think I would be a good chair leading the WUC PCG 10?
My aim is to win support worldwide for our values and objectives. I have worked on urban planning issues and international heritage policy making for all my professional life. This experience has enabled me to develop a network of high profile professionals, experts, government representatives, NGOs and also community based organisations, across the globe. I should be able to influence this network of professionals, individuals and agencies to buy into WUC’s ethos. I would make every effort to promote the expertise of WUC resource made up of a community of highly skilled and respected international partners and experts to influence decision makers worldwide, through the promotion of the constituent group’s work and the dissemination of current thinking and new ideas I plan to develop with other urban stakeholders.
What would be my priorities as chair?
- Continue the positive work of our constituent group within a framework of friendship, understanding and scientific cooperation that we have built together.
- Contribute in developing solutions and take actions in cities and communities in supplementing the new Urban Agenda to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable developments goals (SDGs) by 2030 and advocate and raise-awareness on the role of cities and communities to place the urban agenda at the highest levels in development policies.
- Actively work for the protection and management of cities, towns and villages against the current challenges and menaces threatening urban identity and heritage.
- Continue to develop close partnerships with UN-Habitat and other international organisations with whom we have common interests in the field of cities, towns and villages such as UN, UNESCO, OWHC, UCLG, EU, EUROPA NOSTRA etc.
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Constantinos Machairas
Organization : IFOAM AGRIBIOMEDITERRANEO
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo has been leading, uniting and supporting the Organic Movement in the Mediterranean Region since 1990. Since1997 it has also been assigned the significant role of operating as the official Regional Body of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM), the global organic umbrella organization with members in over 130 countries. IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo itself is a network of organic stakeholders from three different continents (Europe, Africa, Asia) with shores on the Mediterranean Sea. Our mission consists of the adoption and promotion of ecologically, socially and economically responsible Food Systems, by combining tradition-innovation-fairness and through the mandates of the Sustainable Development Goals, in order to achieve a Green & Just Transition that leaves no one behind.
As 80% of the growing population of our planet by 2050 is predicted to live in cities, sustainable and resilient urban food systems must be developed to ensure food production and nutrition security. Innovations in the agrifood sector, societal cohesion and community engagement, circular economy and climate action are essential.
Starting in 2016 when our candidate for the World Urban Campaign Steering Committee participated in Habitat III in Quito and even more since becoming a WUC partner, IFOAM Agribiomediterraneo has supported various campaigns of WUC, predominantly through the work of our permanent Secretariat operated by Organization Earth (also a WUC partner). These included Urban Thinkers Campuses, as well as awareness campaigns focused on encouraging transition of farmers to regenerative agriculture based on agroecology principles, informing consumers on the benefits of organic farming and lobbying local authorities to create a favorable policy environment that deals effectively with food security, climate change and biodiversity.
My profile :
Constantinos Machairas is the General Secretary of IFOAM AgriBioMediterraneo, the regional body representing countries from the Mediterranean at the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). He is also the Country Coordinator for Greece on behalf of the European Climate Pact, a European Commission initiative launched in 2020, inviting people, communities and organizations to participate in climate action and to build a greener world. He serves as President of the Hellenic Platform for Development the umbrella-organization of Greek NGOs collaborating towards the SGDs, Treasurer of the Global Council of GCAP a network of over 11,000 civil society organizations (CSOs) from 58 countries collaborating to combat inequalities and to advance social justice, and a member of the Steering Committee of SDG Watch Europe a cross-sectoral Civil Society alliance working at EU-level to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (SDGs). He is also a member at the Board of Directors for ActionAid Hellas, at UN Global Compact Greece and at Organization Earth where he held the position of its Executive Director between 2015 and 2021.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
My aspiration is to serve as a World Urban Campaign PCG Chair to encourage as many as possible stakeholders to collaborate and to combine their efforts under UN Habitat's mandate and leadership to achieve green, productive, safe, healthy, inclusive, and well planned cities. By bringing together civil society, farmers associations and citizens we can drive much needed change regarding climate action. Empowering already involved actors and even lukewarm participants is imperative to go forward in the little time available to make the changes needed.
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Didier Vancutsem
Organization : Faculty of Architecture, Free University Brussels (ULB)
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Founded in 1834, the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) is one of the largest universities in Belgium, with more than 26 000 students (1/3 of whom are non-Belgians) and almost 5000 academic staff members (including the university hospital). Famous for its tradition of critical thinking and intellectual freedom, ULB is a comprehensive university with 13 faculties, schools or specialized institutes covering all disciplines and closely combining teaching and research. It offers about 40 undergraduate BA programmes and 150 graduate MA programmes. ULB conducts forefront research in many fields, as evidenced by the number of prizes: four Nobel Prizes, one Fields Medal, three Wolf Prizes and two Marie Curie Prizes. The university is home to celebrate teams of international researchers who are active in international research networks. Its outward-looking position regarding Europe and the world has resulted in a number of agreements, collaborations and special partnerships being set up with 344 partners around the globe.
Within the ULB, the Faculty of Architecture La Cambre Horta, with around 1.200 students and 100 teachers, 2 research centres and around 40 doctoral students, is focussing on offering students individualized instruction quality centred on the architectural project, supported by a pedagogy articulating the contribution of practitioners and professionals with the theorists and top researchers; enriching the teaching of basic research devices but also applied research, research that comes more and more into international networks, exchanges between researchers, stays in foreign research centres; and engaging in the issues of society that its teaching encounters. Whether the architectural quality of the public spaces, participation or public systems of urban planning and architecture, architectural competition, sustainable development and heritage policies, the Faculty of Architecture wants to intervene in the public debate.
Since its WUC membership in May 2021, the Faculty of Architecture La Cambre Horta engaged and promoted the WUC vision together with the mission, strategic actions and role at several levels:
- engaging in the organisation of Urban Thinkers Campuses and other events, together with other partners such as Cities Alliance, FNAU, City of Mannheim, Bauhaus-University Weimar, ISOCARP Institute, AESOP, Guangzhou Award, EUKN and more;
- contributing to advocacy and knowledge sharing activities related to the implementation of the SDGs under the Decade of Action, in organizing workshops, seminars, summer schools, where students and other stakeholders were engaged in the process and funded by European and international programmes;
- promoting the WUC key messages and the campaign in our newsletter, website, events and education.
My profile :
As professor at the Faculty of Architecture of the Free University of Brussels (ULB) since 2009, I am coordinating Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning second Master programs as well as research activities. Responsible for courses, Jury chair and daily management, I am also coordinating Erasmus+ programs and international cooperation. Furthermore, I am active as registered expert for the European Commission and URBACT program, UN-Habitat and involved in European and international research projects.
In 2013-2019, I was Secretary-General of the International Society of City and Regional Planners, and currently member of the board of directors of the ISOCARP Institute, its research branch. Since October 2021, I am Vice-President Professional Practice of the International Federation of Landscape Architects Europe (IFLA Europe).
My involvement in the World Urban Campaign has been as follows: from 2016 until 2018 as representative of the PCG Professionals and member of the Standing Committee, as well as from 2015 until 2016, as Chair of the Partner Constituent Group (PCG) "Professionals" at the General Assembly of Partners (GAP), I was able to contribute together with colleagues to the Nairobi Declaration, to the Quito New Urban Agenda within the Habitat III process as well as other Habitat III PrepComs.
Between 2016 and 2020, I had the chance to chair the Habitat Professionals Forum (HPF) (with re-election 2018) as the voluntary affiliation of international and regional associations of Human Settlements Professionals involved in sustainable urban development. During this period, the HPF was able to foster cooperation and partnership between the Human Settlements Professionals and UN-HABITAT through dialogue and partnerships and provided leading-edge information and expertise contributing to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and sustainable urban development.
Between 2015 and today, I could contribute to the activities of the World Urban Campaign, e.g., the City We Need 2.0 and TCWNN 3.0 (Drafting Committee), HABITAT III preparatory documents, publications, side events, workshops, conferences and in particular by initiating and contributing to several Urban Thinkers Campuses globally.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
As involved member of the World Urban Campaign since 2015, I learned to know and appreciate the potentials of the WUC activities, which I would like to further develop and increase to achieve tangible and successful results in the implementation of the SDGs. My motivation is to build on the excellent work done until today by the WUC Team and Christine Auclair, and also think ahead about the Campaign, accelerate the achievements of the SDGs, in developing solutions and taking action in cities and communities. My motivation is therefore threefold:
First, to further develop and capitalise on the unique diversity of the WUC members and create a strong integrated community of urban stakeholders. This could include a continuous development of the current communication framework, where every member can easily communicate and exchange its experience and knowledge.
A diversification of the WUC activities, involving all interested members in knowledge sharing, transfer and disseminating multidisciplinary experience from the collective intelligence should take place: eg as a knowledge pool and sharing infrastructure from accomplished UTCs and their knowledge, Climate Actions, TCWNN, and more.
Here, streamlining the dissemination of collaboration opportunities amongst members by using innovative communication means can bring excellent results. Providing mutual support to WUC members interested in developing initiatives focusing on capacity building and training could become a game changer.
Second, to further diversify and implement the products of the Campaign, by contributing to the implementation of the SDGs and the NUA by delivering concrete urban solutions: e.g. new generation of Living Labs, urban toolkits, urban safaris, Regional Summer Schools, concrete actions for the TCWNN, knowledge-sharing products, and more. Here, the launch of a new knowledge transfer initiative, the WUC Academy, could be considered.
The WUC Academy should aim to promote knowledge sharing and capacity-building among urban stakeholders in order to better plan, design and manage cities, by focussing on conceptualization (distilling and analysing the knowledge generated in the Urban Thinkers Cam
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Ebrima M. Jagne
Organization : Bamboo Foundation
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Bamboo Foundation-The Gambia has in the past years demonstrated the importance of the bamboo plant to many communities, Environmental protection groups, the Gambia's ministry of Environment and other key stakeholders through our yearly bamboo plantings exercises, workshops and Environmental meetings. I am convinced that if given the opportunity, it will not only empower my career prospects but will give me the framework to utilize my full potentials to realize my career dream
My profile :
My name is Ebrima M. Jagne, I was born in a small rural farming village called Mayamba village in the North Bank region of the Gambia. I am a social entrepreneur and a Gambian. I am the Co-founder and Secretary General and Human Resource officer of Bamboo Foundation-The Gambia (BFG) which was registered in the Gambia in July 2017 to help create awareness about the Bamboo plant and its numerous economic benefits. The sole objective is to promote the propagation and processing of Bamboo plant for the enhancement of lives and livelihood development for many poor farmers and rural communities and as an Environmental protection and conservation tool in the Gambia.
In the Gambia, more than 70% of the population depends on agriculture and forest for household food security and income generation. The unreliable nature of the rains couple with crude farming system using crude primitive tilling tools has place these communities in food deficit situation. This has thus twisted many communities to adopt to tree crop as an alternative source of livelihoods and livelihood enhancement
Furthermore, I am keenly interested in contributing to the advancement of knowledge through innovation and research. I strongly believe that these values are the basis on which World Urban Campaign (WUC) was founded.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I am cognizant of the fact that poverty and ignorance in our societies have severe economic implications and thus, reduce the productivity of our vital workforce, thereby consequently weakening the global economy, I confirm my obligations to take action to promote the wellbeing of every human being living in and outside of The Gambia through the watchword ONE FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE.
Whilst acknowledging the laudable efforts of WUC and its international partners, I am convinced that the participation of all sectors of society can result in the sustainable development of our globe. I am also convinced that our full involvement and active participation in educating and promoting development is indeed imperative. This in essence is the rationale for my seeking to be elected
We are alarmed by the increasing emergence of the human tragedy at sea and desert or illegal migration through the back way to Europe, child labor, ignorance, acute poverty, and mass rate of unemployment. These are the major leading causes of poverty around and in many parts of the world at large. I believe that adequately responding to the challenges they pose, will lead to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) set by the United Nations.
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Garlynn G. Woodsong
Organization : PLACE Initiative
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
PLACE Initiative has co-sponsored and produced a UTC event, and is planning to co-sponsor and produce a 2nd UTC event later this year, focused on the intersection of urbanism, climate action, and equitable outcomes. PLACE Initiative co-founder and vice chair, Garlynn Woodsong, has also worked closely with PLACE Initiative member and WUC participant Chris Elisara to make edits to the City We Need 3.0 document that reflect the organization's expertise.
My profile :
Garlynn Woodsong– Co-Founder and Vice Chair, PLACE Initiative, and Managing Director, Woodsong Associates
I’m Garlynn Woodsong, the co-founder and vice chair of the Board of PLACE Initiative. I’m also the Managing Director of the planning consultancy Woodsong Associates. I have more than 27 years of experience in regional planning, urban analytics, scenario planning, transit‐oriented development, transportation policy and funding, natural and working lands planning, zoning code audits, code updates, and real estate development. As the Project Manager for the Vision California project, among others, I was instrumental in the development and deployment of the RapidFire and UrbanFootprint urban/regional scenario planning decision-support tools while with Calthorpe Associates in Berkeley, CA.
Among notable projects I have previously worked on is the Bay Area Transit Oriented Development (TOD) Study, alongside Shelley Poticha, Peter Calthorpe, Dena Belzer, Hank Dittmar, and Abby Thorne-Lyman, while with the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the San Francisco Bay Area, MTC. After 2012, I took a break from the planning industry, to focus on real estate development, producing the first adaptive re-use conversion of a single family home into a four-plex under the modern commercial building code in Portland, OR. Since then, I helped co-found the planning firm Cascadia Partners, with which I parted ways at the end of 2020 to found Woodsong Associates.
My focus is on making the connections between planning, greenhouse gas emission reductions, public health, economic development, development feasibility, implementation strategies, natural and working land conservation + restoration, and strategic planning for equitable outcomes.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Having never yet been a member of the WUC, I would not feel qualified to jump immediately into the Chair position. I would first want to better understand the organization, its mission, its operations, its past successes and failures, and thus its opportunities and challenges, before agreeing to take on the position of chair.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
PLACE Initiative is sponsored by WUC partner the Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU), which is a Local and Sub-National Authority. Having worked on edits to the City We Need 3.0 document to represent the expertise of both the PLACE Initiative, and CNU, I am now rather familiar with how my expertise may be useful to the organization. I can help to articulate expertise on how to articulate actions that provide benefits at the intersection of urbanism, climate action, and equitable outcomes.
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Jane Anyango Odongo
Organization : Polycom Development Project
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
I have been part of the World Urban Campaign since the year 2015 when I attended the Governing Council in Nairobi. Polycom Development Project, my organization responded to the call for the 1st Urban Thinkers Campus and has been hosting since then. As a result of this Polycom is now the lead organization for SDG 11 on the Making Cities, safe, healthy and resilient under the SDG Kenya Forum, leading around 30 organizations working on the same. In 2018 Kenyan Voluntary National Reporting featured the Urban Thinkers Campus as a best practice.
I have contributed to bringing the City We Need into communities and among various actors working in the Sustainable Development Goals. I have also attended 3 World Urban Forums as a side event organizer, I have managed to collaborate and market WUC in various spaces locally and internationally.
Polycom, my organization promotes implementation of the Urban Agenda with women on board. We bring the voice and face of community people, especially women into the conversations, in the spirit of Leaving No One Behind.
We have fundraised to promote the WUC agenda, adapted the UTC as our annual event and recruited several organizations to join, including, Winam Grassroots, SDG Kenya Forum and Red Dot Foundation based in India.
My profile :
I am an urban grassroots woman living and working in Kibera, the biggest slum settlement in Sub Saharan African based in Nairobi, Kenya. Started organizing women from different communities over 15 years ago in response to cases of sexual manipulation and violence towards adolescent girls. I have mentored over 10000 thousands of girls through my “GPende” slogan meaning, love yourself. Currently working to amplify the voices of women/girls living in slum communities in various platforms locally, nationally and globally. 5-time convener of the women-led Urban Thinkers Campus focusing on Safe and Resilience Cities. Policy Unit Expert towards Habitat III. Has been Local and global recognitions. Several times speaker at UN events.
RECOGNITIONS
Vital Voices100 Fellow
Woman Peacemaker 2016
Millennium Milestone Maker Awardee 2015
Among 10 most influential Kenyan women to meet former US President Obama in October 2015
Featured in Award Winning Documentary “I will not be silenced” 2014
Outstanding Leadership Award 2011
International Woman of Courage nominee 2011
Community Peace Builder Award 2010.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I have enough experience and exposure to leave take WUC to the next level. I have both community and professional experience, I influenced the engendering of the New Urban Agenda and is keen on ensuring implementation to the later.
Being a Chair of WUC will bring a whole paradigm shift on leaving no one behind, I am a vibrant, hands on and very innovative with access to funding opportunities.
I have been an advisor in various platforms, I see being WUC Chair as a great opportunity for myself and everyone out there.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
My interest in this position is informed by my over 20 years experience working with women. I started my work as a common woman in Kibera community but have grown to be a celebrated global women leader, my network has grown rapidly to over 2000 women globally. I am part of various networks including Vital Voices, Global Call to Action Against Poverty which provides great space to amplify the voice of women. As a member of Huairou Commission and experienced convener of Women-Led UTC, I am motivated to market this great campaign which provides platforms for various actors including the government to plan and evaluate together, not leaving women behind. My work in the slums of Kibera, my leadership with creativity and innovation will be such a great achievement for progress.
I have ideas for growth and expansion, my Get One Reach 10 Principle is an innovation that promotes structural organizing and growth. I deserve this opportunity to grow with others.
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Jane W. Katz
Organization : Global Urban Development (GUD)
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Global Urban Development (GUD), founded in 2001, is a non-profit international policy organization and professional network of more than 700 leaders and experts in 60 countries. GUD has been a Lead Partner of the World Urban Campaign since its first kickoff meeting held in Barcelona in 2010. GUD uses its strategic policy and action framework– Metropolitan Economic Strategy, Sustainable Innovation, and Inclusive Prosperity – to support accomplishing the Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement, and New Urban Agenda worldwide, including the Porto Alegre Sustainable Innovation Zone (ZISPOA) and several others in Brazil, Panama, Australia, and the US. Through its vast network, GUD has participated in numerous Urban Thinkers Campuses, and organized three UTCs in Porto Alegre, Brazil during November 2017, December 2019, most recently in July 2020 ("Sustainable Innovation Zones/Communities and COVID-19 Resilient Recovery Strategies"). UN-Habitat was a co-sponsor and presenter for a Sustainable Urban Development Conference led by GUD and the Emirates Environmental Group at the Dubai Expo in March 2022. Executive Director Maimunah Mohd Sharif presented a keynote address, and the two other UN-Habitat speakers, Asa Jonsson and Chris Williams, participated in sessions on the "The Future of Housing Innovations for Developing Affordable and Sustainable Communities.
We will be co-convening another UTC with the Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization in New York City this June 9-11, addressing "Affordable Housing Technologies and Sustainable Innovation Communities" at the Cornell Tech campus on history Roosevelt Island, and also including a live demonstration at the Brooklyn Navy Yard of 3-D printing for affordable housing. Jane Katz and Marc Weiss helped draft The City We Need Now, and they were speakers at its launch event during the UN High-Level Meeting on April 25. GUD will take a leading role in supporting its principles and action framework. Towards the New Urban Agenda, we participated in the write shop for the UN Quadrennial Report and helped lead the housing and land session. We have participated and will continue to work on campaigns with the WUC, including collaborating with UN-Habitat, Viable Cities and the Swedish Government, and the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) on the international Climate Smart Cities Challenge, with a seminar on May 10 at the Swedish Embassy in Washington, DC. Through Jane's work with UNDRR we will also help integrate Making Cities Resilient 2030 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction to further engage stakeholders in climate and disaster risk reduction action.
My profile :
GUD Board Vice Chair and Coordinator for the Washington DC Office, Working Group on Affordable and Sustainable Housing and technical advisor. Helped to plan and organize the recent GUD-EEG Dubai Housing and Sustainable Communities Conference and participate on the core planning team for the upcoming UTC and a proposed World Urban Forum Networking Event in Poland. I have represented GUD at many in-person meetings of the World Urban Campaign as an officer of GUD. I have been a committed supporter of the World Urban Campaign and partner since the beginning of WUC and have represented my previous organization, Habitat for Humanity, as an elected and active member of the standing committee representing civil society, as well as leading or participating in WUC working groups including on indicators and data and the WUC vision and mission group. I’ve also been an active contributor/drafting team for “The City We Need Now.”
In my position with Habitat for Humanity, I was Director of International Affairs and Programs and advocated for housing and land issues in the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda/Habitat III including co-leading the Policy Unit on Housing. In that role and as the General Assembly of Partners (GAP) co-chair of the civil society partner group, I was instrumental in helping to frame and represent CSOs with our partner groups in the lead up to Habitat III. I have co-led with SDI the Urban Cluster with the Global Land Tool Network of UN Habitat and continue to represent the Urban issues in the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction stakeholder engagement platform. I have participated in UN Habitat expert group meetings on housing and land issues and helped contribute to the UN Quadrennial Report. Through March 2022, I provided expertise to the Cadasta Foundation, an international land and property rights organization and a member of GLTN, as Senior Partnership and Resource Advisor. Prior to Habitat for Humanity, I held a variety of management positions in the public and private sectors on housing policy, regulatory, and finance issues.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I am applying for the CSO Chair position and not the WUC chair - see below
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I recall participation in the very first World Urban Campaign meeting held in Barcelona, and have seen how it has evolved and grown as a significant presence in UN-Habitat and as an advocacy tool. I have contributed to some of the major outcomes of WUC, including the City We Need, 100 Cities Campaign, structural changes, the development of Urban Thinkers Campuses and gatherings held at World Urban Forums, Habitat III, and in cities across the globe. I have committed time and energy into trying to contribute to this important effort by working on a new vision, participation in committees, Urban Thinkers Campuses, campaigns, and helping draft The City We Need Now. As we are now in the implementation phase of the NUA and 2030 Global Agreements, and there have been setbacks with the COVID pandemic, climatic disasters, and other stresses, I hope to continue to contribute my time and commitment as your representative to the Civil Society PCG.
Having just completed The City We Need Now, I believe that we have an updated concrete roadmap to address the compelling needs of communities and the opportunity to take action to work for the localization of SDGs and towards the 2030 Global Goals through the World Urban Campaign. The Civil Society PCG cuts across many of the thematic areas that need to be addressed. I hope to survey the PCG CSO members to identify key priorities that we can work on together, as well as collaborate with the other PCGs. My intention would be to support and listen to the CSO constituent group, represent their views and priorities in the steering committee, and advocate the best way forward in promoting inclusive, sustainable, affordable global goals.
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Jaya Setiawan Gulo
Organization : Jadi PNS
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Jadi PNS will fully supports the advance of vision and mission of the World Urban Campaign (WUC) by actively advocating its information, involving in the policy recommendation process, and creating virtual-talkshow-based videos to inspire more people about the solutions in the WUC and SDGs.
My profile :
Jaya Setiawan Gulo serves as Coordinator of Museum of Finance’s Content in the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia with a $13 million fund. Prior to that, he was trusted as Strategic Communications Assistant to the Minister of Finance. During his career as a young government officer, he received the Most Outstanding Government Officer Award nationally by the Vice President of Indonesia.
Gulo is also Founder of Jadi PNS, world’s first youth-led non-profit organisation delivering storytelling in the form of virtual talk shows to inspire youth to achieve SDGs. Since its launch, Jadi PNS has expanded a community of over 40,000 Instagram followers, over 80,000 YouTube subscribers reaching over 1,3 million views, over 400 one-on-one virtual talk shows, and 5 Jadi PNS scholarship awardees.
His contribution has been globally recognised by the FAO, UNEP, UN Women, UN ECOSOC, US Department of State, Gates Foundation, and others.Gulo’s mission is to make this world a more positive and inclusive place.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Born and raised in the village, Gulo is now working and living in the capital city of his home country, Jakarta. The key challenges and problems he finds in the city inspires him to make a change and real impact by joining the WUC Chair candidacy. If trusted as WUC Chair, he aspires to create strategic and inclusive communication to advocate the WUC vision and mission by actively collaborating with all of the WUC Partners. Gulo’s mission is to make this world and urban living a more positive and inclusive place.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Born and raised in the village, Gulo is now working and living in the capital city of his home country, Jakarta. As future generations, children and youth are widely and directly impacted by urban change. The key challenges and problems he finds in the city inspires him to make a change and real impact by joining the PCG Chair of Children and Youth candidacy. If trusted as PCG Chair of Children and Youth, he aspires to create strategic and inclusive communication to advocate the WUC vision and mission by actively collaborating with all of the PCG Children and Youth Partners. Gulo’s mission is to make this world and urban living a more positive and inclusive place.
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Joseph Oduor Otieno
Organization : Leaders for Leaders Champion
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Our organisation has been sensitizing the masses on 10 principle of just city and rallying more organisation on grassroots to join world Urban Campaign. We are also championing for SDGs implementation.
My profile :
Am one of the founders of the organization, I participated as a panelist in Urban Thinkers Campus ,Coutercy of Winam Grassroot 2020.Representing the roles of youths in urban space ,influence, leadership role and engaging meaningful. I championed for our organisation to being a member of World Urban Campaign and been contributing in Urban thinkers Campus. Am part of also just city committe in my town,as voice of youths.Currently am the Director of Leaders for Leaders Champion and i have been mobilizing more partners to join world Urban Campaign.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Currently am a youth leader in Kisumu county and I see how youths are experiencing lots of challenges of unemployment, police brutality,poverty,drug abuse ,early marriages,school drop outs and corruption mense. This made me with other like minded youths to form a organization to give hope and bring youths in informal sector to meaningful engage.
If elected as Chair of grassroots organisations it will be a great win for my people, who look down upon me for hope . Who are struggling with drug abuse and given up on the system, it will give them strength to do something meaningful with their lives . Also to shine as me and bring more on board to be better leaders.
If elected I will also help other grassroots organisations and leaders to learn and get empowered with my experience and connect them with my partners. I will collaborate and assist other organisations struggling with resources mobilzation, link and network prudently.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I intend to be the Voice of the youths,women and PWDs in my space.As a grassroot organisations chair with my past in rural set up and informal sector,I bring rich experience and creativity gained in the past.Which can steer and innovative to the space of WUC ,I also lead a youth led organisation. Which has demonstrated commitment in matters of governance, leadership, Peace, mental health and climate action .
I will make rural area and informal sector to be part of SDGs implementation and also to contribute on 10 principles of Just city. I will bring conducive environment for other chairs in WUC ,partners and participants to contribute and engage meaningfully. Increase resources mobilzation, network and partners to make sure WUC succeed in its mission and vision.
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Leticia Alvarado Fuentes
Organization : Instituto Municipal de Planeación de Mazatlán. IMPLAN Mazatlán
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
As a member of the World Urban Campaign, at IMPLAN Mazatlán we carry out actions that allow us to place the citizen at the centre of the whole planning process for territorial planning and urban development; they are our contribution to generate an inclusive, sustainable and resilient city, thus eliminating any form of segregation, discrimination and social exclusion, with the implementation of new innovative approaches to governance.
We know that in order to design the city we deserve; it is necessary to change the paradigms of how to make a city. To this end, and through the use of short-term planning tools, we seek to generate a walkable city, with sustainable urban mobility and urban development that is in balance with the natural environment.
We have carried out various activities and temporary interventions to promote mobility from the point of view of the most vulnerable users; we have held weekly rides with the objective of empowering cyclists and at the same time evaluating the streets of Mazatlán for their integration into the Municipal System of Cycle Paths.
As part of generating a sustainable city, in conjunction with various civil society organisations, we are working on actions to support the restoration of the bodies of water that are immersed in the urban area of Mazatlán through the generation of Nature-Based Solutions projects.
As a fundamental part of our attributions, we establish urban norms in terms of mobility and public space; their application will contribute to generate affordable, accessible and, above all, equitable communities and urban centres.
All of the above, we seek institutionally through the elaboration of the Municipal System of Land Use Planning and Urban and Metropolitan Development of Mazatlan, which is integrated by real political instruments that concretise the postulates of the Democratic and Deliberative Planning System, which are based on the framework set out in articles 1, 3, 25, 26 and 27 of the General Political Constitution of the Republic, as they consider the Territorial Fundamental Political Covenants that society and government determine to agree upon in order to establish their collective needs and aspirations, to achieve a dignified life, composed of a set of economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions that allow individuals and collectivity to develop a Vital Minimum that allows for the maximum development of their possibilities of existence, with an approach that guarantees and develops Rights, based on International Human Rights Law.
Currently, the new legal instruments at state and national level have strengthened the attributions of the Municipal Planning Institutes in order to achieve quality planning and land management where the fundamental rights established in the international treaties to which Mexico is a party are guaranteed.
In short, the Municipal Planning Institute of Mazatlán is committed to making effective the aspiration that gave rise to and founded the instruments that make up the Charter of the United Nations, the New Urban Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations and the essential philosophy of Mexican social constitutionalism: A Dignified Life for All.
My profile :
My experience in city-related issues can be read in the evolution of my professional training:
- Architect. Importance of design: technique, functionality, aesthetics, research and evaluation of traditional construction techniques adapted to contemporary needs. Buildings as part of the city.
- Master's degree (no degree) in Urban Planning. The city as a result of design: standards, techniques, schools of urban planning. Disenchantment: The ideal city ... on paper and designed only technically.
- Master in Social Sciences. The questions: Design, techniques, standards are important bases and guides, but what about people? Is design without the participation of those to whom it is addressed useful? The statement: People are the most important. Social action is the determinant of spatial shaping.
- PhD in Social Sciences. Confirmation: It is essential to learn from people and their action in the creative solutions they have historically implemented to solve their common everyday problems. Community identification. Pride of belonging. 2002-2022
- Specialist in the elaboration and management of cultural projects: Alternative means for the enhancement of natural and cultural heritage. Dissemination of work and sharing of learning. Products made in an interdisciplinary way, incorporating the skills and knowledge of all.
My professional work in academia and applied research always tried to be provocative with my students; for me it was very illustrative of how the efforts and resources in urban projects are many, very useful... and very dispersed and unfocused from the timely attention to the real needs of the people. Therefore, the professional practice as a volunteer and as a consultant on urban issues has sought the active participation of people, co-creating alternatives with interdisciplinary work teams.
With all these accumulated experiences, the fortune I have today is to lead a municipal organisation made up of committed young professionals from diverse backgrounds (legal, environmental, civil engineering, architecture, landscape architecture, human settlements planning, geographic information systems engineering, administration, human resources and social work), where we work in a holistic manner, seeking to direct the knowledge of all towards joint planning with the people of the municipality, in order to guide the processes towards their well-being and that of the environment in which they develop.
Today I understand that the dissociation between planning and the implementation of strategies, programmes and "improvement" works is due to the lack of involvement of the people and also to the perception of how distant and abstract these ideal approaches are, always in the long term, which, it seems, we never manage to achieve.
That is why our team not only carries out with the people of the municipality the approaches of consultation and validation of our planning work required by law, but we also try simple actions of action and applied research, as well as tactical urbanism, whose immediate results address some of the most heartfelt problems, motivate and encourage people to be co-responsible for their welfare.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Due to the implications of the closeness with the populations and the city and the desire to contribute so that people can perceive planning as a co-responsibility to make the communities more active in the search for their satisfiers.
WUC Chair means to me a huge responsability, wich in this moment of my experience I can not be able to do in the best way. That's the reason why I would opted for the PCG Chair Position in Local and Sub-national Authorities
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I am interested in becoming a PCG Chair in the local and sub-national authorities category, not only to learn from the experiences of my fellow participants in the World Urban Campaign network, but also to put into practice that "the whole is more than the sum of its parts" in the application of tools for the implementation of tangible actions to address the post-pandemic urban challenges that cities and people require.
The city we need as a dream, a desire, an aspiration, a right, personally motivates me to seek every possible way to collaborate to make it happen.
The city we need now is an imperative to act to make that dream, that desire, that aspiration and that right a shared responsibility.
The experience of the pandemic, which as one of the results of anthropogenic activities, forces us not to make use of our cities and to seclude ourselves (as far as possible) in our homes, observing the way in which "the natural" was able to express itself without us, evidenced by animals roaming in (their) places, The way in which "the natural" could express itself without us, evidenced in animals roaming in (their) places, in those who had been displaced, in cleaner air, less noise pollution and of course in creativity in solving day-to-day problems by reaffirming the usefulness of communities of production, exchange and distribution of products by alternative means would seem to have taught us a great many lessons.
The planning instruments that we are currently elaborating in the IMPLAN of Mazatlan are having today this opportunity to become legal instruments that can be extremely useful in order not to forget how vulnerable we are, and therefore how indispensable it is for us to work in solidarity putting at the centre the life and rights of people in urban scenarios that are guarantors of these essential values. To do so with the support and backing of the expertise, sensitivity and commitment of people in different countries who are called upon to actively participate in this unprecedented World Urban Campaign is truly an invaluable opportunity.
From the level of government where I work, I can see the urgent need for our cities to respond to the needs of people TODAY. These must be met with public policies based on the possibilities that the sum of all actors contribute with commitment, determination and with the certainty of meeting the challenges that we will surely be able to face successfully.
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Limota Goroso Giwa
Organization : Huairou Commission
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Huairou Commission has been a partner of the World Urban Campaign (WUC) since its inception as a lead partner for the Women and Grassroots Partner Constituent Groups. Over the years it has partner with UN-Habitat and other WUC partners in raising awareness about and in implementing the Habitat Agenda (until 2015) and the New Urban Agenda (since its adoption until now). Huairou Commission members have led and organised over 40 Urban Thinkers Campuses (UTCs) since 2015 until now; and they have raised awareness about WUC activities in national and regional policy advocacy spaces. Huairou Commission is an ECOSOC accredited Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that is eligible to attend UN-Habitat Governing Council meetings (until 2018) and the Executive Board Meetings (since the new governance structure post May 2018), where it made Oral Statements and included points on WUC for the attention of member states. In the recent UN President of the General Assembly (PGA) High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (held on 28 April 2022), Huairou Commission Chair (Ms Violet Shivutse) who is a member of the PGA Advisory Committee on Sustainable Urbanisation, included WUC and UTC in the Grassroots Constituency Statement and its roadmap presented to member states. This is a commitment from the Huairou Commission to continue its leadership role and contribution to the WUC, including advocating the Campaign's inclusion in the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan, and its role and contribution to the Urban Agenda Platform and all the agency's flagship projects.
My profile :
Dr Limota hosted a series of UTC in Nigeria in 10 cities to localize the new urban agenda btw 2017 to 2019. She is on the steering committee of Abuja's New Urban Agenda steering committee. She created several platforms across West Africa's head of state and government to popularise the work of WUC. She has been the leader of over 30 civil society groups in Nigeria and across AFRICA. She is a member of the Board Governing board and executive board member of the HUAIROU Commission
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate:
My motivation is to promote the work of WUC and describe to file for my candidacy. As a longtime Community activists on issues of Urbanization women are left behind in articulating urban resilience programming. Therefore I feel challenged as a women's rights activist to stand up tall on this platform to amplify the voice of women.
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Luigi Fusco Girard
Organization : University of Naples Fedederico II
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
My Organization University of Naples has contributed since 2002 to many activities of the UN Habitat - WUC in the last 20 years:
Contribution to the World Urban Forum in Naples 2012,
Contribution to the Urban Thinker Campus, in Caserta, in 2014
Contribution in WUC Meetings in Naples, 2012
Contribution to the Document The City We Need, and The City We Need Today
Contributions to spread the knowledge of the City We Need in Papers on the scientific Journal BDC (first class journal in Italian Academy)
Contribution in organizing many World habitat Days and World City Days International Conferences (two new books are going to be printed in 2022, with Springer and FrancoAngeli publisher)
A PhD student was selected coming from UN Habitat ( arch Sara Cardiracci) and completed her academic PhD Course with positive results
Collaboration with UN Habitat Universities
Many papers on different international Journal have been produced by the Naples research group, spreading the City We Need principles
My profile :
Current Profile
Professor Emeritus of Economics and Environmental Evaluation at the University of
Naples Federico II; Extraordinary professor in Pegaso Telematic University, Naples; Adjunct Professor University Nova Gorica (Croatia)
Scientific Coordinator of the European Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation project “CLIC – Circular models Leveraging Investments in Cultural heritage adaptive reuse” (2017- 2022- 5 milion euro, clicproject.eu); Co-coordinator of Horizon 2020 Research project BeCultour (4,5 Milions euro,becultour.eu)
Director of the Laboratory of Research on Creative and Sustainable City,
Lead Partner World Urban Campaign, as Leading member;
Associate Professor at Institute for Research on Innovation and Services for Development (IRISS) of Italian National Research Council (2010-today) Naples
Responsible of the Program Committee on Celebrating Our Urban Heritage” (Global Urban Development
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I would contribute to share my scientific experience in UN HABITAT WUC, in particular about the criteria, attributes and tools that should characterize the new city development design and planning toward the “circular city” in the general perspective of UN Agenda 2030 and NUA , using as the entry point the cultural city heritage .
My engagement is to continue the search about the ways in which adaptive conservation of the city system memory can be implemented, starting from the traditional fundamental roots of conservation theory, with a key attention about all the environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts: involving Universities and Research Centres, to overcome existing strong economic/financial constraints. And also proposing new research activities to European Commission for financing new scientific usefull activities.
The adaptive evolutionary conservation of city cultural assets can be proposed as the entry point for implementing the "circular economy/city".
Thus, the circular conservation contributes to implement the “city of the human beings and of nature”, in which the nature and heritage are considered the most important infrastructure: for satisfying the needs of this generation (also of marginal groups) and of future generations.
This is a perspective through which to interpret the evolutionary conservation from both an ecological and human point of view.
In this new bio-ecological perspective, the adaptive conservation is oriented to reduce not only the environmental/territorial fragility, but also to reduce the cultural fragility. This is the precondition for the implementation of the "human-centred city".
This neo-humanistic approach is a key pillar of the development culture, which re-shapes and enriches the current green deal
The perspective is to re-integrate economy into ecology paradigm and into the human paradigm using new tools for transforming principles into actions/ projects in the city development strategy.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I would contribute to share my scientific experience into UN HABITAT WUC, in particular reguarding the criteria, attributes and tools that should characterize the new city development design and planning toward the “circular city” in the general perspective of UN Agenda 2030 and NUA , using as the entry point the cultural city heritage .
My engagement is to continue the search about the ways in which adaptive conservation of the city system memory can be implemented, starting from the traditional fundamental roots of conservation theory, with a key attention about all the environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts: involving Universities and Research Centres, to overcome existing strong economic/financial constraints. And also proposing new research activities to European Commission for financing new scientific usefull activities.
The general topics should be the adaptive evolutionary conservation of city cultural assets . It can be proposed as the entry point for implementing the "circular economy/city".
Thus, the circular conservation contributes to implement the “city of the human beings and of nature”, in which the nature and heritage are considered the most important infrastructure: for satisfying the needs of this generation (also of marginal groups) and of future generations.
This is a perspective through which to interpret the evolutionary conservation from both an ecological and human point of view.
In this new bio-ecological perspective, the adaptive conservation is oriented to reduce not only the environmental/territorial fragility, but also to reduce the cultural fragility. This is the precondition for the implementation of the "human-centred city".
This neo-humanistic approach is a key pillar of the development culture, which re-shapes and enriches the current green deal
The perspective is to re-integrate economy into ecology paradigm and into the human paradigm using new tools for transforming principles into actions/ projects in the city development strategy.
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Mahmoud AlBurai
Organization : Middle East Cities Center - American University in Dubai
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Middle East Cities Center has been established to Develop applied research in partnership with industry on topics related to sustainability, resilience, competitiveness and future of cities. The center provides consultancy work to government entities and the private sector to advance work in Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) field.
Moreover, the center develops publications on best practices for urban policies and practices in private and public sectors. The center engages youth in the region with practical projects in collaboration with industry and international organizations.
The center led recently " The City We Need Now" Middle East Campaign with 20 partners and more than 30 events( 3000 people attended) and activities that were well attended by multiple stakeholders.
My profile :
Mahmoud AlBurai is currently serving as senior advisor in Dubai mandated to work on a plan to make Dubai more competitive. Mahmoud leads Middle East Cities Centre at the American University in Dubai working on research and development related to field of sustainability and competitiveness. He is also Chairman of UNDRR ARISE network in the UAE and Director of Middle East Cities Center at the American University in Dubai. Before this role Mahmoud has served as the CEO of Dubai Real estate Institute for 10 years in which the institute graduated 80,000 real estate professionals from the region. He was chosen in 2021 as one of 10 City Changers by the World Urban Campaign of the UN recognizing his role in lobbying stakeholders to advance SDGs and deal with climate change.
He is also the Vice President of International real estate federation, FIABCI Arabic Countries since 2016 , Chairman of FIABCI Emirates and sits on the board of International Real estate Federation, the world largest global real estate network of more than 1.5 million associate members. Before that he served on the board of International Real estate Society (IRES) for 5 years and the board of National Association of Realtors(NAR), 1.3 million member real estate network based in Chicago for the years 2019-2020.
He served as the Chairman of UN Global Compact UAE from 2015-2020 and represented MENA region in UN Global Compact advisory board for 2016-2018. In his role as UN Global Compact MENA representative led many SDG’s driven initiatives. He started youth ambassadors programs in seven UAE universities recruiting over 150 youth, train them to help businesses become more sustainable. He also led establishing Women empowerment principles platform in the UAE with 60 companies signing on WEPs commitment. To promote SDGs among business, Mahmoud launched SDGs pioneers UAE celebrating SDGs success stories of private and government organizations. Mahmoud has been selected to be FIABCI representative at the United Nations Economic Commission for West Asia (UNESCWA) and UNECE (Geneva). To advance his work on SDGs, Mahmoud started his Camps and Dreams NGO and documentary to shed light on talented refugees in different refugees camps in Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa and link them with institutional partners for jobs and education opportunities.
Mahmoud is currently leading Government committee in the capital club, a business club of influential financial institutions in the Middle East. He led VCs for Good and Startups for Good initiatives in the club
Recently Mahmoud established his Think Tank in Geneva under the name of Middle East Sustainable Development Institute to lobby governments, businesses and communities to action on SDGs in the Middle East. His mail role is to lobby private sector in the region to be actively involved in SDGs, during his presidency, UAE local network became the fastest growing network internationally. Moreover, Mahmoud leads the affordable Housing working-group at World Economic Forum. Mahmoud also serves as an advisor-MENA region at Happy City Lab, headquartered in Canada which works on integrating happiness into urban design.Middle East Cities Center chaired by Mahmoud launched recently the City We Need Now in the Middle East working with more than 20 partners from the Middle East attended by more than 3000 different stakeholders. He conducted more than 10 urban thinkers campuses and was instrumental member in SDG10 working group of UN Habitat.
Prior to his position in Dubai Real estate Institute, Mahmoud worked as Senior Director of Real estate Sector development at Real estate Regulatory Authority of Dubai and few years as a Development Associate Manager at Dubai holding.
Mahmoud completed his bachelor's degree in engineering at the American University before continuing on to earn his Master's in Real Estate from National University of Singapore .Mahmoud completed his MBA in Finance from his alma mater, American University of Dubai in 2010 and Master of Cities at London School of Economics and Political Science(LSE) in 2019 and DBA at Grenoble ecole de management in France in 2020.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I am motivated because of the urgency of meeting SDGs and with Covid-19 delaying our progress, we need a revolutionary dramatic approach to urban change to achieve green, productive, safe , healthy , inclusive and well planned cities. Thus, lobbying stakeholders i.e. governments, private sectors, academia, civil society, media , citizens and all involved stakeholders to co-create better future together is crucial. WUC is a great platform that can help amplifying the implementation of SDGs and get all different stakeholders working on SDGs joint projects. The work will focus on achieving the urban dimension of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030 and implement the New Urban Agenda. Working with private sector and citizens engagement are major initiatives of my planned work. Creating SDGs academy, sustainability accelerators by working with innovation ecosystems, policy dialogues, youth engagement circles, women empowerment platforms, media leadership, private sector commitment,etc are all important tools to speed up the implementation.
My mission is aligned with WUC mission to contribute in developing solutions and take action in cities and communities in implementing the New Urban Agenda to accelerate the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) by 2030. This cannot be done by governments alone nor private sector, this is a team work. We are all part of it. We can and we will. Lets work as one team to achieve new urban agenda.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Government is a key stakeholder in working towards achieving SDGs. Such working group is important stakeholder that needs to work with other multiple stakeholders to achieve better outcomes when it comes to SDGs. My plan is work on a comprehensive agenda for local and sub national authorities to fully engage other groups in pushing SDGs agenda.
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Margarita Greene
Organization : Center for Sustainable Urban Development, CEDEUS
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
CEDEUS’ is committed to advancing the NUA and SDGs, and its objectives coincide closely with those of the WUC, in essence: "to understand urban dynamics, instruments and decision-making processes, to develop sustained and equitable improvements in people's quality of life, through the recognition of biophysical limits and social demands in Chilean cities". We joined the WUC recently, and because of CEDEUS´ nature, our main work originally developed at the national level, working closely with the Chilean authorities, academia and organized communities in following and pushing the NUA and SDGs.
However, lately we have been able to reinforce our international and especially regional scope. As such, we have promoted the messages and WUC campaigns; such as the City we Need 2.0 and have organised two International PhD Students Symposium on Sustainable Urban Development for the Latin American and Caribbean Region, the last one promoted through WUC. We have also participated in the last two World Urban Forum sand we intent to participate in WUF11 in Poland, this year. In our nine-year trajectory, we have conducted many activities that could be upgraded to a regional and international level.
My profile :
I am Full Professor, and have been for over 30 years, a full time academic at the School of Architecture, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, where I have conducted research, consultancy, teaching and outreach. During the last nine years I have also been part of the Academic Committee of CEDEUS, as one of its six Main Researchers. CEDEUS is an academic centre of excellence in a priority area defined at the national level – sustainable urban development – funded by the central government and two of the top three Chilean Universities. CEDEUS’s identity differentiation can be summarized in three dimensions: (i) an interdisciplinary approach to tackle complex urban problems; (ii) a view that situates and inform these problems in their cultural and territorial context, and (iii) a strong commitment to address public policy. In these capacities, I have carried out specialized research, designed and given courses and supervised the work of undergraduates, Master and Ph.D. students. Five years ago, CEDEUS formed a Latin American network REDEUS_LAC, which I coordinate, to promote the exchange of knowledge and rich experience in urban sustainability in the region. From that platform we have joined and worked with other regional networks, such as N-aerus in Europe, Auri in Africa and the global UHPH LAVs.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I am not a candidate for the WUC Chair
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I am applying to the Research and Academia PCG Chair. I believe that due to my academic, research, teaching and outreach experience I could collaborate in building stronger ties between the academia and research and orient the research to public policy that will increase the quality of life, especially of the most vulnerable groups. My focus would be to foster applied research oriented to relevant and urgent problems in our field, build networks among young international researchers and practitioners, connect organized communities with researchers and practitioners, and share knowledge and experience with and among local, regional and central governments. From my role in this PCG Chair, I would be in a better position to strengthen these links with the WUC global network.
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Meng Wang
Organization : World Young Scientists (YES) Network
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
As a organization for young and early career earth scientists, YES network prmote all young scientists to work on the urgent topics for urben development and other SDG related to the earth sciences, such as climate, water, hazards, biodiversity and so on. YES Network is first organization to host World Urban Campaign in China in 2018, and then three times in 2019, 2020, 2021. We organized a serious of actives to promote the young students and scientists to work together for a better city and we offer several professional training course for public and early career labour on city construction in the farmework of WUC.
My profile :
I am the ongoing president of YES Network and coordinated the collaboration between UN-habitat with YES Network and China Geological Survey. I lead four times World Urban Campaign from 2018 to 2020 and organized a serious of actives to promote the young scientists to join this great initiative, I was nominated as the Executive Secretary of World Young Scientist Summit since 2019 and involved the WYSS into WUC then. I am the founding member of underground Space Research Center of Coordinating Committee of East and Southeast Asia Geoscience Program and promote the underground space application in UN-habitat aspect. In 2020, we got the letter from the UN Secretary General, Mr. Antonio Guterres for this congratulation on the contributing from young generations to future society and his concerned as well. I am self a young scientist who working on the paleoclimate rebuilding and the heritage protection, which will contribute my research on the sustainable development of the city. The young generation should play the stronger role of the sustainable development of the urban for future and this is what I want to impact.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
It is my pleasured to express my strong interest to be the Chair of the WUC as a young earth scientist on climate research.
I started my career in the Ministry of Natural Resources of China in policy counselling and management in 2008, and transferred to China Minmetals Group, which is a world leading company in mining industry, and then to scientific research in Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. This has given me very good experience with policy, industry, and science on climate and urban topic.
I co-coordinated two EU Horizon 2020 granted projects on green resources from 2018 to 2021, and successfully launched the “PanAfGeo” to enhance the capacity and role of African national geological surveys especially on climate, environment, resources and heritage, which was co-funded by the European Commission and by a Consortium of 12 European Geological Surveys. I am the youngest working group leader on paleoclimate rebuilding for Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE) initiative with a group of top earth and digital scientists, to build the global research platform on solid earth by the date-driving. I also joint the Aral Sea ecological restoration research “Green and Innovation Aral Sea” leading by my institute and the chief scientific counsellor on the “Blue Farm Plan” to balance the climate, biodiversity in coastal zone and the sustainable development of lowest developing communities for Zhejiang, China.
“Save our joint future”, climate is strongly related to the future generations. As the young scientist, I deeply involved into the international organizations on this urgent topic. I am the founder member and president of World Young Earth Scientists (YES) Network, a global association for young and early career earth scientists. With my two terms of presidency, YES Network becomes the partner of WUC from very beginning until now and organized a serious of actives to promote the young generations on urban. And I am the founding member of underground Space Research Center of Coordinating Committee of East and Southeast Asia Geoscience Program and promote the underground space application in UN-habitat aspect. As the founding member, I joint the Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) with the link to more than 460 youth organizations on climates collaborated with the UN system in 2020 to enhance the voice and impact of the youth participant into UNFCCC, COP 26, COY16, HLPF, Global Youth Forum, ASPNet Forum and so on. I was the Sherpa and lead the Chinese delegation to host G20 Youth Summit in 2016 in China and highlighted the importance of developing countries in Global climate agenda by young generations. In 2021, the Secretary-General of UN, Mr. Antonio Guterres sent the letter to me to deliver his message to all young scientists, especially his deeply concerned on climate issues.
We need to learn how to work with industry. the long period of industry working experiences make me realize the importance of the industrial upgrade to the environment, biodiversity and climate crisis and how. I will deeply involve more enterprises, banks and governments, which experiences might inspire our work on urban and to balance the industry sustainable development with climate and biology.
People may think is too young for me to carry on the duty of this important role, but I would like to say how energy and passion we want to donate into this work and how important for young generation to involved at beginning. So, I sincerely hope council and all members will consider my application and I am ready to contribute my resource on WUC for the future.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
It is my pleasured to express my strong interest to be the PFG Chair on Children and Youth as a young earth scientist on climate research.
I started my career in the Ministry of Natural Resources of China in policy counselling and management in 2008, and transferred to China Minmetals Group, which is a world leading company in mining industry, and then to scientific research in Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2017. This has given me very good experience with policy, industry, and science on climate and urban topic.
I co-coordinated two EU Horizon 2020 granted projects on green resources from 2018 to 2021, and successfully launched the “PanAfGeo” to enhance the capacity and role of African national geological surveys especially on climate, environment, resources and heritage, which was co-funded by the European Commission and by a Consortium of 12 European Geological Surveys. I am the youngest working group leader on paleoclimate rebuilding for Deep-time Digital Earth (DDE) initiative with a group of top earth and digital scientists, to build the global research platform on solid earth by the date-driving. I also joint the Aral Sea ecological restoration research “Green and Innovation Aral Sea” leading by my institute and the chief scientific counsellor on the “Blue Farm Plan” to balance the climate, biodiversity in coastal zone and the sustainable development of lowest developing communities for Zhejiang, China.
“Save our joint future”, climate is strongly related to the future generations. As the young scientist, I deeply involved into the international organizations on this urgent topic. I am the founder member and president of World Young Earth Scientists (YES) Network, a global association for young and early career earth scientists. With my two terms of presidency, YES Network becomes the partner of WUC from very beginning until now and organized a serious of actives to promote the young generations on urban. And I am the founding member of underground Space Research Center of Coordinating Committee of East and Southeast Asia Geoscience Program and promote the underground space application in UN-habitat aspect. As the founding member, I joint the Youth UNESCO Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) with the link to more than 460 youth organizations on climates collaborated with the UN system in 2020 to enhance the voice and impact of the youth participant into UNFCCC, COP 26, COY16, HLPF, Global Youth Forum, ASPNet Forum and so on. I was the Sherpa and lead the Chinese delegation to host G20 Youth Summit in 2016 in China and highlighted the importance of developing countries in Global climate agenda by young generations. In 2021, the Secretary-General of UN, Mr. Antonio Guterres sent the letter to me to deliver his message to all young scientists, especially his deeply concerned on climate issues.
We need to learn how to work with industry. the long period of industry working experiences make me realize the importance of the industrial upgrade to the environment, biodiversity and climate crisis and how. I will deeply involve more enterprises, banks and governments, which experiences might inspire our work on urban and to balance the industry sustainable development with climate and biology.
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Michael Adlerstein
Organization : Advisor to the Exec Comm of the CSU
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
My interest in the CSU and the WUC is to encourage member states to focus on urban policies that will benefit all people.
My profile :
I am a preservation architect, formerly the Chief Historical Architect for the National Park Service and the Assistant Secretary-General for the historic renovation of the UN. I recently retired from teaching at Columbia University and I serve as advisor to various non-profits in the fields of preservation and urban affairs.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
My interest is in expanding the acceptance of the benefits of the preservation movement to the recycling of all excess, appropriate urban buildings.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I want to encourage the architects, engineers, and other design professional to focus on recycling all excess buildings.
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Michael Kanyingi Kimuhu
Organization : MANGU INTEGRATED COMMUNITY PROJECT - MICOP CBO KENYA
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
MICOP CBO Kenya has been in the forefront in advocating and influencing policies related to the issues of ageing and older people including mobility and access to urban and cities services. We strive to empower older people in our community and urban areas to continue to be valuable and active participants in the community through awareness creation, capacity building, advocacy and in many cases suggesting improvements of mobility and access to the municipal managers and planning officials. As a result of the inclusive discussions, we have seen several building owners provide ramps to ease access by older persons and persons with disability. This is done without funding but contributions from board members.
We advocate for the development and enforcement of legislation, planning and building regulations in the housing sector, including, displacement, homelessness, and arbitrary forced evictions through the membership of the National human rights Coalition and the Universal Periodic Review process. We are also partners with HelpAge International and member of the Global Network for the rights of older persons.
My profile :
I am the lead person in advocacy and policy influencing at MICOP CBO Kenya. On behalf of MICOP CBO Kenya, I am a member of the Universal Periodic Review Coalition- convener of the Older Persons and Social Security thematic Groups and the National Human Rights Defenders Platform. During the UPR third cycle I developed and submitted fact-sheets on the rights of older persons, social security and mental health to the United Nation Office of the High Commission for Human Rights and recommendations forwarded to Kenya by some member states on the same. Kenya accepted all of them leading to the ratification of the Africa Protocol for the Rights of Older People. I also possess a healthy ageing practitioner’s certificate awarded by World Health Organization. I occasionally hold media briefs on the issues of ageing and age friendly communities.
I am an active member of a number of strategies development task forces involving the Government of Kenya and CSOs where I represent older persons and persons with disabilities in areas of healthy ageing and elder care to mention just two of the many areas.
I am an active member and Co Chair of the General Assembly of Partners – Older Persons Constituent Group.
Of late I have made a submission on the scorecard on the state of human rights for older persons and persons with disability in Kenya as a contribution from members of GAP (General Assembly of Partners) to the NUA (New Urban Agenda)
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Older persons are a major population group which deserves representation in all scopes and processes. Having noted that older persons are not represented in World Urban Campaign Steering team I thought it wise to seek to one of the PCG chairs. Being a Co Chair of the GAP Older persons PCG places the issues of ageing squarely on my lap. Furthermore, the World Urban Campaign is not complete without older persons’ representation.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
If elected, I intend to bring the ageing experience into the World Urban Campaign leadership.Older persons are a major population group which deserves representation in all scopes and processes. Having noted that older persons are not represented in World Urban Campaign Steering team I thought it wise to seek to one of the PCG chairs. Being a Co Chair of the GAP Older persons PCG places the issues of ageing squarely on my lap. Furthermore, the World Urban Campaign is not complete without older persons’ representation.
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Mona Rady
Organization : Africa Union of Architects AUA
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
We supported the WUC along the way as we participated in most of the activities of the wuc starting from the UTCs and the city we need campaign
My profile :
Architect DR. Mona. S. Rady
Doctor in urban and regional planning
Chairperson of UN-HABITAT Professional Forum (HPF)
Member in the Advisory Committee on sustainable urbanization of PGA President of UN-general assembly 76th session.( UN)
Commissioner AUA HABITAT & ENVIRONMENT Commission (AUA)
Past Steering committee member for Region V Africa in international Union of Architects ( UIA ) Commission on the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Chairwoman of Art & Architecture House for Planning and Architecture.
Launch of The City We Need Now in New Gourna in Luxor EGYPT by the support of WUC
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I am Architect DR. Mona. S. Rady and I am serving in the field of UN-Habitat and its role in planning sustainable human settlements with respect to professional efforts to support NUA & SDGs , since 2020 I became the Chairperson of UN-HABITAT Professional Forum (HPF) and 2021 I became a Member in the Advisory Committee on sustainable urbanization of PGA President of UN-general assembly 76th session in these positions I can support the WUC specially PCG Chair for professionals in all its activities and specially I can campaign for it in all my positions in Africa as i am the commissioner Africa Union of Architects AUA HABITAT & ENVIRONMENT Commission(AUA) and I Launched The City We Need Now in New Gourna in Luxor EGYPT by the support of WUC .
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Motsa Dubois
Organization : FIABCI
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
As a Federation of Real Estate organizations, FIABCI promotes best practices in Real Estate Development, Brokerage. FIABCI of which I am a Vice President for IOC (International Organizations Committee), organizes and influences WUC events, seizing any opportunity to promote WUC.
As Executive Director and President of MiaChina LLC, I focus on sustainable development solutions. Recently we introduced to UN-Habitat an infrastructure solution that: (1) eliminates landfill (accounting for roughly 17% of methane gas emission in the US, in addition of the CO2); (2) recycles plastic, glass, tire, and municipal waste, turning them into fuels, solvents, and inert biomass; (3) sends ferrous metals back to their product life cycle. That solution implements circular economy. Since that solution pays for itself in less than 5 years, I have proposed it as a mechanism to finance other sustainable projects, such as affordable-and-workforce housing.
Currently, I am in the working on introducing a Triage Level solution for Medical Screening in Remote and Underserved Regions.
My profile :
FIABCI had an MOU with UH-Habitat on CPI where I was heavily involved in mapping the parameters of a tool we were bringing aboard with the NUAs and SDGs and also the framework (Circles of Social Life). I personally have, and am participating in all UN-Habitat activities, including Urban Thinkers Campus activities “The City we Need NOW”.
As Executive Director of MiaChina, we are in the process of introducing to UN-Habitat the US National Waste Recycling Association. I am also proposing a WUC at each of the annual IEFA (International Economic Forum of the Americas) conferences: Canada (Montreal or Toronto), USA (Miami), and France (Paris).
As a seasoned Information Technologist, I look for solutions that promote sustainable development in all aspects.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
Already I have been contributing. However, I would have a greater influence at a more impactful level - as I am able.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I am concerned about the following topics and would choose: Environment (N/A), Business and Industry, Professionals, Children & Youth, Civil Society Organizations.
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Neeshad Shafi
Organization : Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar has been part of World Urban Campaign as a partner, one of the few youth led organisation's for the Gulf of the Middle Eastern countries. We have been proving the platform for young people in the state of Qatar and Regional youth support in access to the campaign and submit.
My profile :
Neeshad is an Environmentalist, and policy-oriented social change advocates, best known for his work on youth climate movement, environmental and climate policies in the Middle East. His core area of expertise includes analyzing global environmental and climate politics, Energy Transition, and sustainability issues. An active civil society member and has been a prominent presence at international climate summits especially UN Climate Summit (COP’s) since 2015 on various capacities, including role of youth and NGOs for climate action. He holds a master’s degree in Environmental Engineering and based in Doha, Qatar. He also a Non-Resident Fellow at the Middle East Institute (MEI). In March 2019, he was named in the Apolitical’s List of the 100 Most Influential People in Climate Policy 2019.
Neeshad is currently the Co-founder & Executive Director at the Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar, a first registered youth lead non-profit association in the State of Qatar. He is a Board Member at Climate Action Network (CAN) Arab World and CoalitionWILD. He is on the steering committee of Global Shapers Climate and Environment; UNESCO Youth Climate Action Network (YoU-CAN) and UNEP Youth Regional Facilitator for the Middle East. His articles and interviews have appeared in France24, Al Jazeera, BBC, Washington Post, WEF Agenda, Guardian, Anadolu Agency, Inside Arabia, The Gulf Times, Qatar Tribune, Qatar Today, Peninsula Qatar and others.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I have been in icivl society and have been call for acton civil society organization and very active member of civil society. believe I would bring valuable skills, experience, and knowledge to effectively communicate and work on various topic including but not limited to environment and other priorities in the most efficient way that can advance our collective goals.
I have over six years of non-profit work experience as well as working in water and waste industry as process design engineer and years of experience as Sales and business development, climate policy work, sustainability, and eminence experience of working with Qatari stake holders, government and had various engagement in Gulf and wider Middle East. As the Executive Director & Co-founder of the Arab Youth Climate Movement Qatar, I have excelled at organizing programs, stakeholder’s engagement and managing multiple deadlines for proposal, policy briefs, grants application and publications with over six years of experience in analyzing Global Environmental and sustainability policies with a special focus on Qatar and Gulf.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Relentless exploitation and reckless consumption of natural resources are responsible for a variety of largescale environmental changes. Ranging from systemic developments like climate change to cumulative impacts like the loss of biodiversity and exhaustion of natural resources. There is a global rallying call to address the fundamental assumptions the way economy and society is currently governed. understanding of the natural environment and concerted effort to raise awareness at a grassroots level. We must create a learning environment where we can not only learn and reflect but also challenge everyday assumptions, habits of behaviour, structures of feeling and expectation. This learning is not only limited in schools, colleges and universities but also takes place at the home, supermarket, workplace, etc.
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Pablo Aguilar
Organization : CJUR INTERNACIONAL. COLEGIO DE JURISPRUDENCIA URBANÍSTICA
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
The Colegio de Jurisprudencia Urbanistica, CJUR International focuses its work on urban legislation, the interdisciplinary approach to addressing problems in cities, urban and rural population centres, the guarantee and development of the human rights that make up the right to the City, and action to achieve urban social justice in human settlements. CJUR International has focused its action on the legal implementation of the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs of the United Nations, and has been part of the World Urban Campaign since its inception, actively participating in the events and activities of the Campaign, always highlighting the importance of the legal framework with a focus on guaranteeing human rights for the proper implementation of the New Urban Agenda.
We have actively participated in the design of the principles of the "The City We Need Manifiesto", highlighting the role of urban legislation and human rights urbanism as an effective solution for the implementation of the principles of the World Urban Campaign. In the Americas, Asia, Europe and Africa, we have promoted a message of peace, law enforcement and respect for human rights with the participation of various WUC actors, such as professionals, authorities, legislators, children, youth and people with disabilities as essential actors in the implementation of the major changes proposed in The City We Need manifesto.
My profile :
PABLO FRANCISCO MIGUEL AGUILAR GONZÁLEZ San Andrés Cholula, Puebla pablo.aguilar@cnjur.org pablo.aguilar@abogados-urbanistas.com
EDUCATION
➢ Master Degree in Management Studies of the City. Iberoamericana University Puebla. ➢ Specialized studies in Urban Planning Law. France and Cuba.
➢ Bachelor Law. Escuela Libre de Derecho in Mexico.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
➢ 25 years of experience in Urban Planning and Environmental Law.
➢ He was Director of Urban Development in Mexico and specialized in Urban Planning
Law municipal official.
➢ Specializing in defense planning and constitutional litigator in Latin America.
➢ Consultant governments and municipalities.
➢ Specializing in urban legislation for Professional Associations, Governments, Experts
Building and Urban Development, Universities in Mexico and abroad academic.
➢ Advisor consultant development companies and investors for urban development
projects in Latin America.
➢ Head of the law firm Planning Law’s with Latin American scope in Urban Law.
➢ Lecturer in Europe, Asia, Africa and America in the field of urban law and human
settlements legislation.
➢ Author of books and publications of Urban Planning Law in Mexico.
COORDINATOR AND COUNSEL OF SPECIFIC PROJECTS
➢ Partial program the Center and Front Sea in Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
➢ Polygon urban improvement of human rights in the Central Zone Ensenada, Baja
California, Mexico.
➢ Partial development of regulations of urban upgrading partial program of the
commercial district of the Central Zone in Rosarito, Baja California, Mexico.
➢ Project of Sustainability Codes for the State of Morelos, Mexico.
➢ Legal joint project for cadastral and registry modernization of the State of Campeche, Mexico.
➢ Conformation and management urban development project Country Club in Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, Mexico.
➢ Conformation and management urban sustainable development project Dos Rios in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz, Mexico.
➢ Regulation of Law 241 of the Regional Urban Development and Housing of the State of Veracruz Llave, Mexico.
➢ Restructuring project of cadastral and registry legal framework for the State of Campeche, Mexico; linked to the urban, environmental and forest layers.
➢ Project of the Registry System Law for the State of Campeche, Mexico.
➢ Project Multipurpose Cadastre Law for the State of Campeche, Mexico.
➢ Project Cadastral Information System, Urban and Environmental Law for the State of
Campeche, Mexico.
➢ Advisor speaker in urban legislation at regional meetings of UN Habitat in Toluca,
Mexico and Czech Republic.
➢ Coordinator of the National Urban Campaign for Mexico of World Urban Campaign
UN Habitat.
➢ Coordinator of Planners for Climate Action UN Habitat for Latin America and the
Caribbean.
➢ Coordinator of Urban Thinkers Campus of World Urban Campaign UN Habitat,
specialized in Urban Law and Fundamental Rights in Latin America, Europe and Asia.
➢ Coordinator of legal experts for the formation of a Binding Agreement on planning matters for Latin America, in coordination with the UN Habitat Latin America and
United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ECLAC.
HERALDRY
➢ Founding President of the National Legal Center for Urban Studies AC
➢ President of the Association of Urbanistic Jurisprudence, CJUR International.
➢ Member of the International Academic Association on Planning Law, and Property
Rights.
➢ Member of the International Research Group on Law and Urban Space.
➢ Partner participating in the Urban Lex platform UN Habitat Agency.
➢ Member of the group of legal experts for the implementation of the New Agenda
and Urban UN Habitat & ECLAC Regional Action Plan for Latin America.
➢ Competency Standards certifications CONOCER: EC0076, Competitive assessment of candidates based on Competency Standards; EC0217, Imparting training human capital group face manner; EC0454, Running courses competencies approach; Mexico.
➢ Participating in the preparatory sessions of the International Conference on Housing and Urban Development Sustainable Habitat III in New York, Surabaya, Indonesia,
Prague, Czech Republic and Kenya, Nairobi.
➢ Official speaker at the United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban
Development Habitat III in Quito Ecuador, representing the sector lawyers.
➢ Official speaker at the World Urban Forum 9 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
PUBLICATIONS
➢ Nuevo Paradigma del Derecho Urbanístico: por un acuerdo vinculante en materia urbana para Latinoamerica.
➢ SUMMAE. Derecho Urbanístico Mexicano.
➢ Ley General de Asentamientos Humanos 1993. Correlacionada (México).
➢ Glosario Jurídico Urbano.
➢ Humedales; régimen jurídico urbanización y protección. Serie: anotaciones de derecho
urbanístico.
➢ Plan de San Luis 2007. Nuevo Derecho Urbano para el Cambio Climático.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
"In a gentle way, you can shake the world." Mahatma Gandhi
Hello to all members of the World Urban Campaign. I´m Pablo Aguilar González, urban planning lawyer from Mexico. I have the honor of presiding over the CJUR International College of Urban Jurisprudence, a collaborating organization of the UN-Habitat Program for more than 7 years. I share with you that I love practicing martial arts, specifically wing chun, horseback riding, excursions in nature and the sea, music, reading and traveling around the world.
Our Organization seeks to transform the place where we live into better spaces through Education, Law, Thought Transformation, and Respect for Urban Law and Human Rights in a peaceful way. We have worked on 4 continents with authorities, international agencies, professionals, children, irregular settlements, academics, social leaders, among others, to create a new paradigm of human rights in human settlements, with a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach, to achieve a life with dignity of the residents of human settlements in the world.
Right now we are experiencing a crisis that has shaken all the political, economic, and social foundations of urban civilization in the 21st century and that threatens the very existence not only of planetary ecosystems but of ourselves as a human species. Climate and health crises and the presence of armed conflicts threaten our existence and that of our future generations.
In the face of a global crisis such as the one we are facing, it is necessary to highlight the importance of international collective action to propose innovative solutions that, taking advantage of the principles of the United Nations and international human rights instruments, implement mechanisms to guarantee individual and collective rights in the face of this serious threat of urban and global collapse that it is already impossible to prevent it from impacting us.
For this reason, I have decided to present -as a moral responsibility- this application to chair the Committee of the World Urban Campaign as an important body that receives positive transformation initiatives throughout the world. I believe that there is still hope that through networking and collective action among the various partners that make up the World Urban Campaign we can generate high-impact collective actions so that peacefully, under the rule of International Law, in an environment of respect, solidarity, communication, and collaboration, we can resist, survive and transform our urban environment in these times.
The working method that we propose is that of multidisciplinary, intersectoral, local, subnational, national, and international action at the same time, attached to the principles of the United Nations, the statutes of the UN-HABITAT World Urban Campaign, and the values that we profess. We will seek to agree on principles of coordinated actions, which can be replicated in various parts of the world, under the guidance and coordination of UN-HABITAT.
In the face of a social, political, environmental and human crisis, humanistic urbanism can be the answer. In our hands and in the action of our member organizations of the WUC we can generate the Great Urban Spirit that heals and transforms our human settlements into that: settlements where we can coexist as Humanity.
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Parisa Kloss
Organization : Resilient Urban Planning and Development (RUPD) GbR
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
RUPD GbR is one of the partners of WUC. We actively organise urban thinkers campuses (UTCs) and promote the implementation of climate action planning, localising SDGs and NUA.
My profile :
As an executive director and founder of Resilient Urban Planning and Development GbR (www.rupd.de), I have worked nationally and internationally with several governmental organizations, NGOs, academic and private sectors from around the globe to promote ‘’the value of green-blue planning and design’’. Through that I gained experience in bringing different stakeholders from different countries with various cultural background together to collaborate on joint projects as well as building the capacity of them on urban climate change through organizing Urban Thinker Campus (UTCs) of WUC to implement sustainable development goals (SDGs), symposiums, training courses, workshops and the like. These experiences have given me extensive capabilities to meet the needs of different projects. Based on my experience, my preferred thematic sector working area are: 1. Urban Sustainable and Resilience Development; 2. Strategic Urban Planning; 3. Urban Greenery and Nature-Based Solutions; and 4. Urban Climate Change and Urban Heat Island Effects.
In addition, at the moment I am also Senior Technical Expert at Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), Urban Climate Change Consultant at Global Urban Studies Institute (GLOBUS), Freie Universität Berlin, and Advisory Board at the African Planners Institutes (API).
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
As a highly motivated individual, I am extremely interested in submitting an application to this position. The opportunity is very interesting, and I believe that my strong technical experience and education will make me a very competitive candidate for this position.
I have more than 15 years of experience, but I am still willing to learn more through working with different partners as well as sharing my knowledge and experience to make the world together a better place to live. I think this position can also be one of he platforms to make this goal come true. Learning from the failures and success factors of different cities and partners in tackling the climate challenges can be of great help in solving the problems. Collaboration and partnership are key factors in this.
Therefore, I will try to bring several potential businesses and industries into conversation, capture their ideas, consult with them and invite them to work together on bringing the idea to live.
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Petros Kokkalis
Organization : Kokkalis Foundation
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
One of the Kokkalis Foundation s top priorities is its participation to the promotion of more cohesive and inclusive societies, which allow their citizens to play an active role in democratic life, the promotion of common ecumenical value systems such as UN s Agenda 2030 and social
inclusion, to enhance intercultural understanding and citizens' sense of belonging to a community, and the prevention of violent radicalization. At the same time, the Foundation embraces the global vision of the SDGs and the Paris Climate Agreement of making the planet
climate neutral by 2050, through a fair transition to a prosperous society with a modern, competitive and resource-efficient economy. In a time where the majority of the world's population live in cities.
My profile :
Petros Kokkalis, as the Vice President of the Kokkalis Foundation, leads the foundation’s efforts and provides strategic insight regarding its long term goals and vision. He has been actively involved in public service for the past 25 years, developing social innovation interventions focused on human and sustainable development. In 2019 he was elected a Member of the European Parliament from Greece with the ticket of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, representing Kosmos: an association seeking to put the SDGs in the heart of the European policy making, and aiming at the empowerment and engagement of civil society and all stakeholders to take bottom-up action for implementing the European Green Deal and the SDGs.He is a member of the European Parliament’s Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) and a substitute member of the Committee on Budgets (BUDG), the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRI), and the Committee on Fisheries
(PECH). In the Intergroup on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development he is the co-chair of the SDGs Working Group.
He is co-founder of the non-governmental environmental Organization Earth (another WUC Partner) whose work on environmental awareness and education for sustainable development within cities has been awarded by the International Union for the Protection of the Environment
(IUCN).He was elected and served as the Vice-Mayor responsible for economic development and climate change in the municipality of Piraeus (2014 - 2019), where he promoted sustainable entrepreneurship and support of start-ups in the maritime economy. The European Commission
has acknowledged his work, awarding the Blue Growth Piraeus initiative at the European Entrepreneurship Promotion Competition 2018. During his term of office he led the humanitarian support during the Refugee Crisis in the period 2015-2017 and served as the President of the Municipal Council for Refugees.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
Turning cities and human settlements into inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable communities is essential to reach the Agenda 2030’s overarching goals and it has been my life’s work to support synergies that will achieve a Green & Just Transition. Contributing to the global effort as
a WUC PCG Chair, my first priority would be to bring relevant stakeholders together, to inform them and facilitate access to WUC tools and resources to coordinate their work under UN Habitat. Combining my background and professional experience as a business executive,
entrepreneur, civil society member, vice mayor at a municipality, an elected official of the European Parliament, as well as having established a Philanthropic Foundation, I will focus on driving charitable organizations’ resources towards establishing Global Goal 11.
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Reza Pourvaziry
Organization : Urban Economy Forum Association
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
The Urban Economy Forum (UEF) is an international, non-governmental organization that focuses on sustainable urban finance and resources as well as the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 11 - sustainable cities and communities - by engaging with cities and towns, the United Nation's system, and the public/private sector. UEF also promotes a global dialogue on sustainable urban development through partnerships and the exchange of innovative solultions and best practices.
UEF became a partner with the World Urban Campaign (WUC) in early 2021 and subsequently organized an Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) titled - North America, Women and Urban SDGs: An Urban Paradigm Shift Towards Gender Equality. The event was co-organized with the Commonwealth Association of Planners (CAP) and held virtually on the 7th and 8th of March, 2022 in conjunction with International Women’s Day.
The two-day North American campaign was an open dialogue for the exchange of ideas, actions and the sharing of innovative solutions and successful initiatives for the empowerment of women and girls in cities, towns and Indigenous communities in North America and globally. The aim was to facilitate an urban paradigm shift from a male-centric development model to a gender inclusive one where women and girls are given equal opportunities to succeed and become powerful agents of change in to their communities.
UEF is also the champion for The City We Need NOW! North America Campaign (https://www.worldurbancampaign.org/tcwn-na).
UEF promotes the WUC in our annual events, the Urban Economy Forum and the Collingwood World Summit, to raise awareness on positive urban change that will achieve green, productive, safe, healthy, inclusive, and well planned cities and towns worldwide.
My profile :
Currently I am the Founder and Chair of UEF which commenced in 2018. I am an architect holding a master’s degree in Architecture as well as an urban researcher working in the field of urban sustainable development for over 25 years. My research focuses on the concept of architecture and the process of design and sustainability which have been presented in numerous articles at international conferences and newspapers. In 2002, I established the International Art & Architecture Research Association (IAARA) to work and research urban architecture about habitat and human settlements with a focus on sustainability.
I have undertaken architectural projects that have received international architecture awards, including the world architecture community for Nashr Yadavaran Administrative Building and the housing project for Atlas of unbuilt world by British Council. I was also part of the jury and steering committee and scientific committee of programs in the field of art & architecture and urbanism. I created many development projects and programs and started working as member of the steering committee of UN-Habitat’s best practices program as of 2004. I was also designated by the under-secretary-general of UN and former Executive Director of UN-Habitat as the First Global Advocate of UN-Habitat in 2016.
I continue to work closely with UN-Habitat and took the initiative for organizing the annual Urban Economy Forum which is held in conjunction with World Habitat Day in October. The inaugural Urban Economy Forum was held in October 2019. The resolution from the Forum recommended the establishment of the World Urban Pavilion in Regent Park (Pavilion), Toronto (Canada). Following my close consultations and discussions on behalf of UEF, with UN-Habitat, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and The Daniels Corporation - the establishment of the Pavilion was announced on November 12, 2020. The Pavilion is a global platform to inspire action, promote the NUA and advocate for sustainable urban development with stakeholders across all sectors, using data and information to support evidence-based policy decisions supported by people-oriented, innovative solutions to development challenges faced by human settlements around the world. The UN-Habitat’s SDG Cities Programme is the Pavilion’s main program.
The grand opening of the Pavilion was held hybrid on April 21, 2022 in which dignitaries including the Governor General, the Canadian Minister for Diversity, Inclusion and Youth, and representatives from UN-Habitat and the Regent Park community participated. Participants from the Indigenous community also graced the occasion.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
UEF is a committed partner of the World Urban Campaign and shares the same mandate and vision to raise awareness on positive urban change for making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Our mission is to create a global dialogue on sustainable urban resources and align global city mandates and priorities with the NUA and SDGs while establishing practical programs for SDG 11.
If selected as the WUC Chair, I would promote the goals, objectives and mission statement of the World Urban Campaign and enhance the global conversation on sustainable urban development and resources to achieve the SDGs. I believe we can create strong links to different stakeholders for more focused human and financial resources that will enable us to develop solutions and take action for implementing the NUA and achieve the SDGs by 2030. Along with my strong connection to the Government of Canada and City Leaders Network in North America. In addition, in my leading role with the Pavilion I will enhance WUCs global advocacy, partnership platform and exchange of knowledge and best practices in order to secure a better urban future.
I will also work closely with the Steering Committee to aim a results-based implementation program to further promote the WUC as an important global campaign for achieving the SDGs. This would include, but is not limited to, enhancing governing procedures, identifying key partnership, and developing capacity building tools to achieve the SDGs through the City We Need NOW! campaign.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
I strongly believe philanthropy plays a key role in achieving the SDGs because they bring important technical expertise, funding, strong grantee relationships, and links between governments, the private sector and civil society to address the social, economic and equitable issues worldwide. This is vital to the success of the SDGs.
If selected as the PCG Chair, I will be able to identify philanthropic funders that are seeking alignment with the SDGs as well as encourage foundations to adopt SDGs in their framework and day-to-day activities with a focus on sustainable urban development. I will further organize a series of events to engage, interact and build solid relationships to affirm their commitment and alignment with the WUC mandate and vision. In partnership with the Pavilion I will also be able to present good examples of philanthropic work in urban sustainability.
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Sri Husnaini Sofjan
Organization : Huairou Commission Women, Homes & Community
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Huairou Commission has been a partner of the World Urban Campaign (WUC) since its inception as a lead partner for the Women and Grassroots Partner Constituent Groups. Over the years it has partner with UN-Habitat and other WUC partners in raising awareness about and in implementing the Habitat Agenda (until 2015) and the New Urban Agenda (since its adoption until now). Huairou Commission members have led and organised over 40 Urban Thinkers Campuses (UTCs) since 2015 until now; and they have raised awareness about WUC activities in national and regional policy advocacy spaces. Huairou Commission is an ECOSOC accredited Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that is eligible to attend UN-Habitat Governing Council meetings (until 2018) and the Executive Board Meetings (since the new governance structure post May 2018), where it made Oral Statements and included points on WUC for the attention of member states. In the recent UN President of the General Assembly (PGA) High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda (held on 28 April 2022), Huairou Commission Chair (Ms Violet Shivutse) who is a member of the PGA Advisory Committee on Sustainable Urbanisation, included WUC and UTC in the Grassroots Constituency Statement and its roadmap presented to member states. This is a commitment from the Huairou Commission to continue its leadership role and contribution to the WUC, including advocating the Campaign's inclusion in the UN-Habitat Strategic Plan, and its role and contribution to the Urban Agenda Platform and all the agency's flagship projects.
My profile :
I am a Senior Program Advisor and Strategist at the Huairou Commission, and have been affiliated and working with the organisation for almost 20-years. As a Senior technical staff at the Huairou Commission, I provided support to the over 100 member organisations in 40+ countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, LAC and North America, in the advocacy and implementation of global development policy as well as supporting their partnership with relevant UN implementing agencies, donor organisations and also national-regional-local governments. I have work on sustainable urban issues since 1993 (to early 2004) when I was working for a regional (Asia Pacific) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) supporting both national-local governments and NGOs in urban management projects, their participation in Habitat 11, implementing the Habitat Agenda; and with the Huairou Commission in the preparatory process towards Habitat III, and in implementing the New Urban Agenda since its adoption in Oct 2016. I continue to build nd strengthen partnership with other UN agencies such as UNDRR, UN Women and the UN regional Commissions (UN ESCAP, UN ECE, UNECLAC) as well as member states and other stakeholders such as the UCLG, Asian Development Bank and the World Bank in advocating the implementation of the New Urban Agenda especially their partnership with grassroots led grassroots groups.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
As an incumbent WUC Co-Chair (for the period 2020-2022), I would like to continue for another period (2-years, 2022-2024) as a (Co-) Chair of WUC to strengthen and make visible WUC's role in leading the advocacy of effective and impactful implementation of the New Urban Agenda through concrete partnerships with its over 200-members, and help expand its resource base. I see new opportunities and partnership to explore following the UN President of the 28 April 2022 General Assembly (PGA) High-Level Meeting on the Implementation of the New Urban Agenda, and I plan to cook closely with the WUC Secretariat and the UN-Habitat Senior Management on this. Over the years, with active involvement in advocating sustainable urbanisation issues, working in partnership (formally and informally) with many stakeholder organisations at all level, especially those who are members of WUC, I know I can provide continued leadership in making impact of WUC activities. I work well in multi cultural and inter-regional settings with respect of diversity and what each partner could bring to the Campaign.
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Tristan Morel
Organization : Association de professionnels AdP-Villes en Développement
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Lead Partner, active member of the Drafting Committee of "The City We Need, Now !"
My profile :
Advocating for sustainable urban development is a guiding thread in my career as professional urban and regional planner. I spent 8 years in Asia where I built the first stage of my international background on large planning projects. Back to Europe, I advocated for sustainable urban mobility worldwide at MobiliseYourCity, a multi-donor Partnership supported by the European Union.
My involvement in the Campaign is a logical continuity of the Lead Partner role of our association (AdP) which I represent. Indeed, the AdP contributed to build and launch the Campaign and actively supported it thanks to its large network of professionals, and its capacity to mobilise key French national authorities (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ecological transition).
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
I was elected President of our professionals association ("the AdP") to campaign around the world for the translation of sustainable development principles into better policies, plans and projects. Our association is a "Lead Partner" of the World urban Campaign. I took this role very seriously, so I joined the Drafting Committee. I want to be more actively committed in managing the Campaign. My multi-region international experience could be useful to mobilise Asian, African and Latin American Partners.
Our association AdP, if elected at WUC chair, can mobilise key French national authorities (particularly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Ecological transition) and activate the French diplomatic network to promote the campaign.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
In line with the main purpose of our association (AdP), I can represent the group of Professionals as I use to do it at HPF particularly. It would generate better synergies and benefits to the Campaign.
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Wei Yang
Organization : Royal Town Planning Institute
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
The Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) is an active member of the World Urban Campaign. Representing over 27,000 planning professionals in over 80 countries worldwide, the Institute has been a partner of the WUC since 2015. RTPI since joining has disseminated and communicated key messages and goals and principles of the campaign in its regular communications and outreach activities, including its website, relevant publications and events. The RTPI has also participated and supported World Urban Campaign events. The Institute has supported the documentation, dissemination and sharing of relevant knowledge and expertise, best practice in support of sustainable urban development withing the framework of the WUC.
Dedicated WUC activities:
• Regular announcements in our Members Bulletin and the International Development Network newsletter;
• On our Twitter accounts: @RTPIPlanners and @internatRTPI.
• Forming part of the RTPI’s International Committee’s discussions. The Committee meets four times a year and the WUC, promotion of the SDGs and the New Urban Agenda have formed part of the programme.
RTPI Awards for Planning Excellence:
Every year the RTPI issues awards for planning excellence. There are 15 categories in the Awards for Planning Excellence 2022 for Plans, Projects, and People. One of the categories is International Award for Planning Excellence. The SDGs form part of the judging criteria, as well as outcomes for people and communities and outcomes for climate action. All winners announced are publicised on the RTPI website and other media outlets.
Memberships Promoting the New Urban Agenda and the SDGs:
The RTPI is a member of the following organisations which promote the aims of the SDGs:
• The Global Planners Network
• The Commonwealth Association of Planners
• The Global Alliance for Urban Crises
• The United Kingdom Built Environment Advisory Group (UKBEAG)
• European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP-CEU)
Through its engagement with international networks, the RTPI has been promoting the value of planning as key for achieving sustainable development and urbanisation.
Campaigns:
The RTPI has launched a number of campaigns supporting sustainable development, within the framework of the WUC.
• Resource Planners for Climate Change campaign
• Plan the World We Need campaign
• ReTreeFit campaign
New research and publications:
The RTPI continues to work on various publications that promote the value of planning and align with WUC framework. The RTPI research programme aims to promote the SDGs. Below are some examples of publications focussing on Health & Well-Being, Peacebuilding, Climate, Adaption & Resilience, Inclusion & Equality:
• Urban planning after COVID-19, Supporting a global sustainable recovery
• Mental health and town planning: Building in resilience
• Dementia and Town Planning
• Children and Town Planning: Creating places to grow
• The Climate Crisis: A guide for local authorities on planning for climate change
• Biodiversity in Planning: Obligations and opportunities to promote biodiversity through the UK planning systems
• Urbanisation, Displacement and Urban Planning, Themes and issues for the humanitarian-development-peacebuilding nexus
• Delivering Better Development: The role of the urban and rural planner
Equality Diversity & Inclusivity:
A diverse and inclusive profession is central to the future of planning. To be an effective and sustainable profession, we must be genuinely representative of the society in which we work. To realise this vision, RTPI has launched CHANGE, a bespoke action plan to help guide both members and employers to work to achieve a more balanced profession.
My profile :
I am the Immediate Past President of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). I served as its President in 2021 and Vice President in 2020. I was Vice Chair of its International Committee from 2017-2019. In my various roles at the RTPI, I have been actively strengthening international collaboration and capacity building. During my presidency, I launched the RTPI new International Strategy (2021-2030) and Planning is Global project to showcase the best planning practice globally to deliver UN Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda. In my professional capacity, as a master planner and Chair of Wei Yang & Partners, I have been promoting green and low-carbon development approaches worldwide.
In my capacity as the RTPI President, I championed a revival of spirit for a modernized planning profession. I co-founded a Digital Task Force for Planning to exam how to unlock the full potential of planning profession in the Digital Era. I wrote extensively and attended and spoke at numerous key national and international events, including COP26, to champion a place-based whole systems approach as a solution which the built & natural environment profession can offer to tackle the grand challenges of our times. I also spoke at World Urban Campaign events whenever I can.
I served as Co-Chair of the UK-China Eco-Cities & Green Building Group from 2013 to 2016. I have played an instrumental role in introducing green and low-carbon development methods to China and have facilitated a mindset change in 10 years’ time. I was the lead author of The Technical Manual for Green & Low-Carbon Development of Small Towns in China (2016). I have also carried out national pilot projects and gave direct advice at Chinese ministerial level on their national spatial planning reform and green building policies.
I am currently the Global Planner Networks (GPN) representative at UN Habitat Professional Forum (HPF). HPF was founded in 1999 under the auspices of UN-HABITAT as an interdisciplinary partnership of Human Settlement Professionals and UN HABITAT. As GPN’s representative, I have made contributions to the Forum in refreshing its strategy and advised on the COVID-19 Recovery Roadmap which was collectively produced by HPF members.
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
My motivation to be the PCG chair for Professionals is to forge a common sense of purpose within professionals and to work collaboratively with other key stakeholders to tackle the grand challenges of our times in a systemic way.
I have been promoting joined up thinking between different built and natural environment professionals worldwide in the last 20 years. I believe in order to build a zero-carbon and inclusive future for all communities and civilisations, we need much stronger, more powerful voices debating and defining strategies. Then, professionals produce a valid range of practical tactics that effectively underpin measurable actions. However, currently, there is a global vacuum to be filled by a profession taking the lead and enabling the built environment to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
The importance of ‘urban planning and design’ is highlighted in the New Urban Agenda, which recognises that planning can formulate medium and long-term objectives that reconcile a collective vision with the rational organisation of resources to achieve it. ‘urban planning and design’ is also recognised as the corner stone of The City We Need Now, as well as one of the top five green jobs for young people by UN Environment Programmes.
In the UK, in my capacity as the RTPI President 2021, I led the drafting of a President Charter with other Presidents of built and natural environment professional bodies to align our joint professional responsibilities and the priority of tackling climate change. I am keen to bring this joined up approach to the global level.
If I am elected as the PCG chair for Professionals, I will take a leadership role and work closely with other chairs and key stakeholders to strengthen international collaboration on capacity building and contribute to immediate actions on the climate and biodiversity emergency as well as other goals set up by the UN Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda. I am also keen to do more to engage young people and wider communities and to adopt new technologies to empower the professionals worldwide.
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Xavier Crepin
Organization : Sciences Po Rennes
How my organization contributes to the WUC :
Sciences Po Rennes is developing a new Urban Curicula in its Academic activities which is titled " Cities and Urban Environnement" icluding Two Masters in Utilities Management and Urban Studies for Northern European Countries, and two seminars on Cities and Health, and Cities and Infrastructure
My profile :
As a Founding member of the WUC in 2009, I was involved in all the Key steps to launch it as Habitat Professional Representative, through "The city we need" initiative, The Urban Campus, the General Assembly of Partners, and all other activities before and after Habitat III Conference.
My motivation as a WUC Chair candidate :
As Professor in academies like Sciences Po Rennes and Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonnes IEDES, and delivering conferences and seminars in European, African and US academies, I'm always promoting a comprehensive approach of urban development, particularly in emerging world and cities. The New Urban Agenda, UN-Habitat strategy, and SDG's implementation is a key issues for all those activities, within the WUC network and secretariat
My motivation as a PCG Chair candidate :
To Promote the UN-Habitat Agenda and Strategy through academics and research international activities like the UNI Program and other intitiatives supported but the international community, including all other capacity building programs, in a strong linkage with the Two elected WUC chairs and other PCG chairs.