The UIA is proud to announce its participation alongside its partner UN Habitat in the upcoming World Urban Forum to be held in Abu Dhabi from 8-13 February 2020. The theme of the tenth WUF will be Cities of Opportunities: Connecting Culture and Innovation and it will focus on “harnessing culture and innovation as drivers of sustainable urban development.” The UIA Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Commission is organising a side event, Sustainable Architecture at the Crossroads: The Preservation of Cultural Heritage and Innovation. The current trend of rapid urbanization does not prioritize the preservation of cultural heritage over economic benefits. How can we use innovation to mitigate the phenomenon of shrinking cultural diversity and weakened social cohesion? As cities become symbols of collective and diverse living, combining native and migrant populations, how can architects and urban designs use new technologies to introduce culturally inclusive urban solutions, which will allow us to meet future challenges and lead us to a more responsive and responsible tomorrow. The 60 min session will consist of a panel of 5 speakers, each of whom will give a 6-7 minute presentation on the topic, followed by a 20 minute open, interactive discussion on new ideas concerning cultural heritage and innovation. The UIA SDG Commission invites UIA Member Sections to nominate speakers of varying ages, genders and cultural backgrounds from each of the five UIA Regions to discuss, in English, their experiences and research on the subject of sustainable architecture and its intersection with cultural heritage and new urban solutions. Each speaker should be able to speak for 6-7 minutes, stimulating an open, interactive discussion for 20 minutes. The deadline for proposed speakers is 26 November 2019.
If you are interested, or can recommend a suitable architect or urban planner, please contact: Ishtiaque Zahir Titas & Natalie Mossin
Co-Directors of the UIA Sustainable Development Goals Commission | 