The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznań opened on Monday, 1 December. The Conference is a milestone on the road to success for the processes which were launched under the Bali Road Map.The meeting comes midway between COP 13 in Bali, which saw the launch of negotiations on strengthened international action on climate change, and COP 15 Copenhagen, at which the negotiations are set to conclude. The Conference includes the 29th sessions of the Convention’s subsidiary bodies - SBS more...

City of Solo (Java Island) Indonesia. October 25-28, 2008.The International Conference of World Heritage Cities is a symposia dedicated to safeguarding of tangible and intangible heritage of historical cities, especially those whose masterpieces are inscribed in the World Heritage List of UNESCO. Every two years the Conference gathers experts in the area of safeguarding of historical cities and its use for attraction of tourists and economical development, as well as mayors of world heritage cit more...

GTZ-Advisory Services in Environmental Management (ASEM), the environmental program with the Indian government, along with Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA) organised a workshop titled 'Support of GTZ to JNNURM - Focus Urban Transport'. The event was conducted on the 24-25th November 2008 in Cochin, Kerala at the Taj Ernakulam.

Former Bogotá mayor Mr. Enrique Penalosa addressed the workshop as the chief guest. Dr. Axel Friedrich, Advisor for GTZ, also participated in the workshop more...

The Asia Pacific MDG Community of Practice (AP-MDG-CoP) was launched jointly by Noeleen Heyzer, the Executive Director of UNESCAP, Ursula Schaefer-Preuss, the Vice President of ADB, and Omar Noman, Chief, Policies and Programmes, UNDP RCC, at the 64th Ministerial Conference of ESCAP on Monday 28 April. The Assistant Director General of FAO, Mr. He Changchui also spoke on behalf of all the UN agencies. The AP-MDG-CoP is an internet based network where MDG practitioners exchange knowledge to find more...

'This report summarizes the discussions that took place on 8–16 November 2007 at an Asian Development Bank - sponsored workshop on Urban Development Experience of the PRC and India with Private Sector Participation. The workshop was held in the People’s Republic of China, where high-level officials of central, state, and municipal governments from India were invited to share the vision and experience of the two countries. Particular emphasis was given to the role of the private sector in the more...

This symposium was held on November 6-8, 2008 at the University of Pennsylvania. Including Peter Head of Arup and Elizabeth Kolbert of The New Yorker, more than 70 scholars and practitioners from around the world discussed how to achieve the new sustainable urban world. An associated interactive exhibit was opened in conjunction with the symposium.
This symposium marked the 50th Anniversary of the 1958 University of Pennsylvania/Rockefeller Foundation 'Conference on Urban Design Criticism.' Th more...

As delegates from around the world exchanged views in the newly built giant Nanjing convention and exhibition centre on Tuesday, the buzzwords on everyone's lips at the fourth session of the World Urban Forum were 'harmonious urbanization'. Barely a speaker at the UN-HABITAT biennial gathering missed a chance to give their views of what a harmonious city is all about.

Setting the tone in the first opening statement, Mr. Jiang Hongkun, the Mayor of Nanjing, said: 'Building harmonious cities more...

1. Since China’s ancient wall is perhaps the best symbol of “city”, meanwhile, Nanjing is famous for her longest ancient city wall in the world, therefore, the symbol of wall not only reflects the theme of the forum-city, but also highlights Nanjing’s profound cultural. 2. The four battlements on the wall represent WUF4. 3. The Half-Dry Stroke Effect in Chinese Ink-Wash Drawing of the edge of the emblem represents China’s long history and culture. 4. In the middle, there is a shape of more...

Good Practice Transfer networking event
UN-HABITAT/ROLAC, Fundación Hábitat Colombia and the Building and Social Housing Foundation, with the support of members of the Ibero-American and Caribbean Forum on Best Practices, will be hosting an event on the Transfer of Best Practices at the World Urban Forum 4.
The World Urban Forum is a biennial gathering that brings together a wide range of partners from non-governmental and community-based organisations, urban practitioners, academia, govern more...

2nd UCLG ASPAC Congress

'Sustainable Cities and Local Governments for a Sustainable World - 15 - 18 July 2008 | Pattaya, Thailand. Attended by around 800 participants from 23 countries, the 2nd UCLG ASPAC Congress has been held in Pattaya on 15-18 July 2008,kindly hosted by National Municipal League of Thailand and the City of Pattaya. The congress entitled “Sustainable Cities and Local Governments for a Sustainable World” was divided into four plenary sessions: * Effective Decentralizati more...