BEGIN:VCALENDAR METHOD:PUBLISH CALSCALE:GREGORIAN PRODID:-//EVDB//www.eventful.com//EN VERSION:2.0 X-WR-CALNAME:World Urban Forum 4 & 5. From Nanjing to Rio de Janeiro: Bringing the Urban Agenda to the Development Community in Washington D C at Ronald Reagan Building &Int. Trade Ctr. - Eventful BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20090107T090000 DTEND:20090107T110000 DTSTAMP:20090726T024815Z SUMMARY:World Urban Forum 4 & 5. From Nanjing to Rio de Janeiro: Bring ing the Urban Agenda to the Development Community DESCRIPTION: In November 2008\, close to 8\,000 people attended the F ourth Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF) in Nanjing China to discu ss the twin challenges of urbanization and globalization that are faci ng more than half of the world’s population who now live in cit ies. On Wednesday\, January 7\, the Comparative Urban Studies Project hosted a discussion\, “World Urban Forum 4 & 5. From Nanjing to Rio de Janeiro: Bringing the Urban Agenda to the Development Communit y.” The seminar brought together a group of nonprofit\, governm ent and UN representatives who participated in WUF4. Panelists shared the latest research and trends in urban development\, focusing on poli cies and programs that promote socially\, economically\, environmental ly\, spatially\, and historically harmonious cities. The panel of urba n experts also reflected upon UN Habitat plans for the 5th World Urban Forum\, which will take place in Buenos Aires in 2010.Gerald C. Ander son\, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Bureau of International Organi zations Affairs for the State Department\, highlighted the need for ev ents like the WUF to stimulate creative thinking and new partnerships. The eight thousand WUF4 participants represented federal\, state and local governments\, NGOs\, the private sector\, and academic and resea rch institutions. Anderson was encouraged by the large number of young people involved\, and commended the many opportunities for youth lead ers to participate in the forum. He encouraged building upon the conne ctions made during the forum\, and suggested the creation of a databas e of participants.Judith A. Hermanson\, Senior Vice President of CHF I nternational\, stressed the importance of the WUF as a platform for ne w ideas\, promising practices and the opportunity for organizations an d groups in the field to network.Forum participants exchanged strategi es for facing new urban challenges such as population mobility\, insta nt communication\, growing youth populations\, climate change\, securi ty\, and transborder issues of health\, trafficking and organized crim e. The WUF was a success\, said Hermanson\, but the challenge remains to translate theory into widespread practice\, incorporating complex u rban issues into the broader development agenda. CHF hosted a session at the WUF4 to highlight lessons learned from over ten years of urban development work in the slums of Brazil\, Morocco\, Senegal and India . CHF case studies found: 1)effective community engagement and local p lanning are is critical to success\;. 2)job creation and social infras tructure are often more important than physical development\; 3) the p rivate sector plays an important role in urban development\; 4)economi c integration and inclusive development is important to success\; and\ , 5) the positive effects of urban intervention continue across time. Looking toWUF 5\, the development community must demonstrate the impor tance of urban investment.Jessica R. Tulodo\, Acting Team Leader of Ur ban Programs and Engineering Services USAID\, stated that the urban de velopment community must expand its audience and deliver a compelling message that captures the imagination of policymakers. Tulodo pointed out that while NGOs were well represented at the WUF4\, US mayors and state officials did not participate. We must tap into this community t o build a broader network of those interested in cities in order to el evate the discussion of urban issues in Washington.Looking beyond WUF 4\, Tulodo identified urban policy priorities for USAID: city manageme nt and service development\; local economic development\; the youth bu lge and its related issues\; facilitating community involvement\; gett ing regulatory frameworks in place\; and global climate change.Christo pher W. Williams\, Representative for UN-HABITAT\, discussed the histo ry and dynamic nature of the WUF. WUF continues to change as participa nts learn how to maximize their benefits and use the forum strategical ly.. By providing the space for diverse groups to interact and integra te their goals\, the WUF has become a solid vehicle for consolidation. Reflecting on the future direction\, Williams argued that participant s need to leverage the WUF to advance the urban agenda. In order to co ntinue WUF’s success\, a domestic constituency needs to be buil t in the US. Cities\, mayors\, financial and development communities i n the US are an under-tapped resource that must be engaged. Williams b elieves that the new White House Office of Urban Policy\, the HUD Secr etary\, and an informed Congress offer important opportunities to brin g attention to urban issues. World Habitat Day\, celebrated in October \, and a series of events leading to the 2010 WUF5 in Rio will provide further occasion to widen the network of commitment to the urban agen da.UN-HABITAT DRAFT Report on the World Urban Forum 4\, Nanjing\, Chin a (2008)WUF4 Report Download pdf LOCATION:Ronald Reagan Building &Int. Trade Ctr. @ 1300 Pennsylvania A venue NW Washington D C 2004, Washington, District of Columbia 20004 U nited States SEQUENCE:1248576495 UID:E0-001-018625548-8 URL:http://eventful.com/E0-001-018625548-8 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR