Track: Living & Inclusion

With the profound shifts over the past two years, agility and accelerated action are required to guide communities into the future. Leaders are challenged to evolve rapidly, leveraging technology, to enhance quality of life for their people. Join Cisco leaders as they discuss the global changes governments face and how technology can power an inclusive recovery and sustainable future for all.

We've all faced hardships during the pandemic, especially the most vulnerable among us. The world now is recovering, and what we do today will make a big difference for the years ahead. How can we solve these challenges by working together?

How are the smart cities of the world reinventing themselves under the pandemic and as the world prepares for reopening to the new normal? What will the future of cities feel like? How will urban living be transformed? In this side event, World Bank Tokyo Development Learning Center, a key program specialized in linking Japanese and global urban development knowledge and solutions, unpacks the emerging ideas and visions from Japan and abroad on the future direction of smart cities. Drawing the World Bank’s extensive expertise on smart city development, the session will introduce real project examples in the context of COVID-19 recovery and long-term sustainable development.

You can join this Online Side Event here.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect all of society equally. In many cities around the world, the disparities in outcomes between income and ethnic groups highlighted the long-standing divides in urban society. As global recognition of the problems rose, so to did promises of a new, more equitable future. How can cities eliminate long-standing inequities, and what roles do different sectors of society play?

You can join this Online session here.

The COVID-19 pandemic did not affect all of society equally. In many cities around the world, the disparities in outcomes between income and ethnic groups highlighted the long-standing divides in urban society. As global recognition of the problems rose, so to did promises of a new, more equitable future. How can cities eliminate long-standing inequities, and what roles do different sectors of society play?

You can join this Online session here.

The Next Societal challenge is here. Some are classic challenges such as the ageing population, improving healthcare systems or building more egalitarian societies. Others are recurrent, such as the future of education or the future of work, which need to be periodically rethought. In any case, new and innovative solutions must be sought. What are the new avant-garde approaches to face societal challenges?

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching the most vulnerable in society proved difficult for city leaders. Providing services and government assistance has always been a challenge, and those hardest to reach are often the most in need. However, new innovations are providing pathways to reach societies most vulnerable and give opportunities to those who seek it. From unbanked households to those who live in informal settlements and work at informal businesses- ensuring vulnerable citizens are properly served makes the entire city a better place to live.

You can join this Online session here.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching the most vulnerable in society proved difficult for city leaders. Providing services and government assistance has always been a challenge, and those hardest to reach are often the most in need. However, new innovations are providing pathways to reach societies most vulnerable and give opportunities to those who seek it. From unbanked households to those who live in informal settlements and work at informal businesses- ensuring vulnerable citizens are properly served makes the entire city a better place to live.

You can join this Online session here.

Digital transition is one of the upmost challenges governments want to achieve. However, there are some problems entitled with this transition that local actors cannot forget. What will be the next social challenges? How can we ensure a fair and inclusive transition? How we ensure inclusivity in the digitalization of services?

Maria Fernanda Espinosa is the Former President of UN General Assembly. On the importance of international cooperation of cities for achieving inclusive cities, we are asking Ms. Espinosa about promoting female empowerment and reducing gender and race inequalities, which have been exacerbated due to the recent Covid-19 pandemic. However, climate change is also affecting minorities. How can cities and local communities best help these groups in their right?

Public health issues have been exacerbated after the Covid-19 pandemic as citizens became more aware about these aspects. Consequently, there will be a shift on city planning, prioritizing these issues; air quality, among them. This session will answer the question of what effects can poor air quality have on citizens?, and will present the Barcelona’s Superblocks and urban design in favour of public health, and its effects on the air we breathe, planning and mobility.

City-making programmes and city planning can play a key role on addressing urban challenges. This session will count on two academic personalities to discuss how to create awareness on urban culture and to remark the importance of excellence in urban design. Additionally, technology will also take part of the conversation as it can help building better cities and preserve their environment.

​The pandemic accelerated the digital transformation of Europe’s cities at an unthinkable pace. This panel will address some of the key questions Europe face today: What defines digital inclusion? How do we measure the digital divide? Which skills are needed today, and in the future? How can cities contribute to reaching Europe’s digital targets?

Faced with the growing impacts of climate change it is urgent to specify some fundamentals that can help reach desirable trajectories for 2050. French public and private professional city stakeholders are gathered under La French Fab banner to share their vision for smart, sustainable and resilient urban planning. They present operational solutions and a logical framework for action based on 4 pillars: sobriety, resilience, inclusion and creativity.

Discover the French approach with Olivier Ramadour, Consul General of France in Barcelona ; Patrice Vergriete, Mayor of Dunkirk and President of France Ville Durable ; SOLIDEO ; Dassault Systèmes and the French network of urban planning agencies.

Ensuring egalitarian cities is essential for safer and more efficient cities. Rebuilding the cities in a more feminist perspective can help mitigate the effects of the economic and health crisis caused by the pandemic. What is “feminist urbanism” and why is so important? How can cities make true change for equality? How do we build cities that are safer for women? are some of the main questions that will be addressed during this conversation.

Urban areas are complex systems. Ms. Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of UN-Habitat expresses the necessity of multi-hazard, multi-stakeholder, and multi-sectoral approaches to build resilience. This video reflects what are the main priorities for UN-Habitat to help cities to be more people-centered, tackle the Sustainable Development Goals, and make governments more open, transparent, and collaborative.