São Paulo – To discuss the great challenges caused by the growing urbanisation, the United Nations Centre for Human Settlements, the UN -Habitat, should promote from March 22nd to 26th, in Rio de Janeiro, the 5th World Urban Forum. The event should bring together over 130 exhibitors from several countries, among them Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
At the exhibition, audiences will be able to learn about different innovations in the area of urban development aiming at creating more inclusive cities. The forum should be promoted in the Port Zone of Rio de Janeiro and counts on organisation by the Ministry of Cities, of the government of Brazil.
Apart from the Arab nations, also participating are exhibitors from South Africa, the Cameroon, Angola, Ireland, the United States, Mexico, Bolivia, Canada and Peru, among others. The exhibitors are, mostly, municipal administrators, UN agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). The theme of the forum should be “The right to the city: Bridging the urban divide”.
To participate in the Forum, the UN-Habitat should bring authorities, urban specialists, scholars, community leaders and activists to help develop new policies for the development of better cities. Around 15,000 people are expected to participate in the event.
The forum should also include 12 roundtables to offer a strategic communications platform so that all partners may articulate their points of view about sustainable urbanisation. The roundtables will be among ministers, mayors, parliament speakers, NGOs, Habitat professionals and researchers, among others.
Since 2001
In 2001, the Assembly General of the United Nations decided to promote, every two years, sessions of the World Urban Forum, under the responsibility of the United Nations Habitat Agency, with the objective of bringing together, at regular intervals, government partners in the civil society and the private sector, focussing on great challenges of urbanisation.
The last forum took place in 2006, in Vancouver, Canada, and included the participation of 10,000 people, including members of government from 160 countries, parliament members, authorities, scholars and professionals in the area, among others.
Further information
Site: http://wuf5.cidades.gov.br
*Translated by Mark Ament
