World Cities Day and SDG global conference highlights practices in improving life quality
The 2024 China Observance of World Cities Day and 2024 SDG Cities Global Conference, held from Oct 29 to Nov 2 in Shanghai, offers a platform for cities around the world to share experiences and best practices, and showcases Shanghai’s efforts to make cities better places to live.
Jointly organized by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Shanghai municipal government, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, or UN-Habitat, the conference, themed with “Building People-Centered Cities for Better Life”, comprises one opening ceremony, the Shanghai International City and Architecture Expo, seven side events and 16 district-level public activities in line with World Cities Day.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of World Cities Day. Liu Qianwei, chief engineer of Shanghai’s housing and urban-rural development management committee, said that this year’s Shanghai conference emphasizes a “people-centered” approach.
“The event will feature broader representation, more diverse activities, richer outcomes and more vivid displays of achievements,” he said.
In addition to inviting officials from international organizations, members of foreign diplomatic institutions in China, entrepreneurs and scholars, the conference, for the first time, covers grassroots organizations and social welfare representatives from various districts to the opening ceremony and other activities.
Utilizing the international platform of World Cities Day, this year’s Shanghai conference is launching activities across all 16 districts, fostering a citywide celebration to enhance residents’ sense of participation and accomplishment.
At an earlier news conference, Ye Yi, deputy director of Putuo district construction management committee, shared insights on how the district has implemented a people-centered concept during the development of Suzhou Creek’s commercial and cultural spaces.
Ren Jie, director of the Xuhui district greenery management center, introduced Xuhui’s recent “pocket parks” initiative, focused on creating small green spaces near residents’ homes through measures such as removing illegal structures, opening up affiliated green spaces and renovating older green areas.
The opening ceremony also launched five interactive public events: an innovation and entrepreneurship competition for social organizations; an exhibition on city walk routes; an urban micro-renewal competition focusing on youth development; the College Student Case Study Competition of City Governance; and the Shanghai Child Friendly City initiative.
Seven side events are focusing on key dimensions of sustainable urban development in such fields as economy, society, environment, culture and governance, covering topics including technology-empowered city construction in the Yangtze River Delta region, youth leadership in climate action, cultural economic revitalization, refined urban management and urban infrastructure development.
People-centered concept
As the birthplace of World Cities Day, Shanghai has upheld the concept of “Cities Make Life Better” for the past 10 years, exploring innovations in urban planning, construction and management in close cooperation with UN-Habitat.
This collaboration has produced various public standards named after Shanghai.
These include the Global Award for Sustainable Development in Cities, or Shanghai Award; the Shanghai Manual: A Guide to Sustainable Urban Development in 21st Century; the Global Urban Monitoring Framework — Shanghai Adapted Index; and the Shanghai Voluntary Local Review on Implementing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The conference is releasing the 2024 Shanghai Manual in Chinese focused on youths leading urban climate action and featuring 18 cases from 12 countries and regions, the latest research results on the SAI and the Shanghai Voluntary Local Review.
The Shanghai Award, jointly initiated by UN-Habitat and the Shanghai city government, is the first international award of its kind, highlighting Shanghai’s role in global governance.
The award honors cities that have made significant progress in sustainable development by providing comprehensive solutions, thus promoting the localization of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 11 — sustainable cities and communities — and the New Urban Agenda. For the first time, the English edition of the 2024 Shanghai Manual will be released at the global main event of World Cities Day in Alexandria, Egypt.
Moreover, the 12th World Urban Forum will be held from Nov 4 to 8 in Cairo, Egypt, where Shanghai will organize an exhibition highlighting its collaboration with UN-Habitat and showcasing China’s urban sustainability practices and the Shanghai model. On Nov 5, a side event on global experiences and practices for sustainable development will be held to promote World Cities Day public products, including the Shanghai Award.
,https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20241101/1559ee1e8b3448cba05bb406dcfc1de6.html