Panel Discussion with audience participation
in Observance of the World Cities Day 2019
Organized by
International Federation for Family Development
Co-organized by
the UN DESA Division for Inclusive Social Development,
and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN Habitat)
with the collaboration of
the Veneto Region (Italy),
the Regione Autonoma di Friuli-Venezia Giulia (Italy),
the Government of the State of Parana (Brazil)
and the European Local Inclusion and Social Action network (ELISAN).
Thursday, October 31, 2019
1:15-2:30 pm – Conference Room 12
United Nations Headquarters
New York, NY
PROGRAMME
Opening Remarks
Francesca de Ferrari
UN-Habitat (NY)
Programme Management Officer
Roberto Ciambetti
Regional Council of Veneto
President
Interactive Discussion
Regional and local experiences
Jose Eduardo Storopoli
Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Families project
Academic Coordinator
Waldemira Graçano
State of Parana Government
Director of the Leadership School
Gianna Zamaro
Regione Friuli-Venezia-Giulia
Director of Social Policies and Disabilities
Juan Carlos Camelo
Universidad de la Sabana in Bogota
Director of Social Outreach
João Farias
Municipality of São Paulo
City Counsellor on Housing
Represented by Alexsandro Peixe Campos
President of Companhia Metropolitana de Habitacao
Statements
Antonio Franzina
Veneto Region (Italy)
Representative
Simona De Martino
Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations
First Counsellor
Vinícius Fox Trindade
Permanent Mission of Brazil to the United Nations
Third Secretary
Peter Kaiser and Beate Prettner
Carinthia Region (Austria)
Governor and Deputy Governor
Q & A
Closing Remarks
Daniela Bas
United Nations DESA Division for Inclusive Social Development
Director
Moderator
Ignacio Socias
International Federation for Family Development
Director of International Relations
BACKGROUND NOTE
Urban settlements are a growing challenge for social inclusion and development. With its rapid growth and increasing challenges, innovative solutions are needed to ensure social inclusion and development. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Conference on Housing (Habitat III) have set global standards to make cities sustainable by creating career and business opportunities, safe and affordable housing, and building resilient societies and economies. Some of the proposals involve investment in public transport, creating green public spaces, and improving urban planning and management in participatory and inclusive ways. Strategies that have proven to be effective and measurable need to be taken to ensure that no one is left behind. Modern cities should aim to be resilient and constantly diagnosed of their urban strength. A holistic approach of the numerous urban variables can manage to give a complete picture of the city’s vigor.
A dialogue among stakeholders is equally important; any effort aimed at facilitating it among government, civil society, residents, and the private sector about risks and the performance of urban systems is a worthwhile cause. With an accurate diagnosis, priority actions and investments can be identified, as well as strengthening resilience for planned or aspirational projects.
The family unit has proven to be one of the main agents for development within societies and thus cornerstone for inclusive cities. Therefore, its area of action must be of great concern in order to facilitate its role in generations to come. If families are these crucial development agents, an adequate environment is needed to facilitate their role. The Inclusive Cities for Sustainable Cities project is a worldwide alliance promoted by The International Federation for Family Development that aims to be inclusive of sustainable families by being responsive to their needs in these ten issues, based on 2030 Agenda and Habitat III and under the leadership of the Veneto Region in Italy: Housing, New Technologies, Education, Healthcare, Safety, Clean Air, Transportation, Affordability, Leisure and Tourism, and Vulnerable Families. Their commitment consists on presenting once a year the results in those topics and attending an annual Conference organized to share good practices.
The first of the topics of the project mentioned above is housing. Cities design should include all family situations and social groups, flexible urban and environmentally sustainable planning, and social services to meet every need. Almost 1 billion people of the world’s urban population live in inadequate housing conditions in slums and at least 2 million people in the world are forcibly evicted every year, while millions are threatened with forced evictions. Adequate housing is critical to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals because it creates adequate conditions for an adequate standard of living, water and sanitation, health, good, quality education, freedom of expression, privacy and family, and employment.
DISCUSSION POINTS
The event will try to find answers to the following questions:
(1) What makes housing adequate? What are the implications for family members as of older persons and persons with disabilities?
(2) What strategies are developed to prevent homelesness? How can slum upgrading be achieved?
(3) How should progress in housing be evaluated?
This project, promoted by the International Federation for Family Development under the leadership of the Veneto Region, is directed to cities and territories that wish to actively contribute to goal SDG11 and be responsive to the family needs. Their commitment is detailed in the Venice Declaration.
GALLERY
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