UN-Habitat and the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation invite you to join a new network committed to creating, implementing, and sharing tools and research for community engagement and empowerment.
The Global Symposium on Sustainable Cities and Neighborhoods is an event in preparation for the World Urban Forum in 2020. It will take place in Urban October, assembling leading urban practitioners, community organizations, researchers, policy makers, and businesses working to create a networked approach to implementing the New Urban Agenda as a means to localize the Sustainable Development Goals.
A key goal of the Symposium is to explore local approaches to sustainable urban development, particularly at the intersection of climate change mitigation and poverty alleviation.
Symposium invitees are committed to strengthening the role of neighborhoods in urban planning and policy, who share a curiosity and enthusiasm for new tools and knowledge.
Interested in joining us in Chicago in October?
Scroll down for more details.
The University of Chicago is preparing to host Urban October at UChicago in collaboration with UN-Habitat. The monthlong initiative brings together policy leaders, public officials, community members and leading researchers from Chicago and around the world to focus on some of the most profound challenges facing global cities.
UN-Habitat and the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation are hosting a symposium Oct. 23-25 focused on how neighborhoods around the world can tackle imminent challenges—including climate change, population growth, housing shortages and a lack of key infrastructure—to advance a more equitable and sustainable future for all.
Urban scientists at the University of Chicago’s Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation launched the Million Neighborhoods Map—a groundbreaking visual tool that provides the first comprehensive look at informal settlements across Africa, helping to identify communities most in need of roads, power, water, sanitation and other infrastructure.
Speakers:
Luis Bettencourt, Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, Inaugural Director
Rhiannan Price, Maxar Technologies, Director of Sustainable Development Practice
Katharina Schneider-Roos, Global Infrastructure Basel, President
Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone
Venue: Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th Street
Yes We Can Preserve Affordable Housing
Venue: Woodlawn Resource Center, 6144 S. Cottage Grove Ave
This Global Symposium Site Visit will highlight Woodlawn East Community and Neighbors (WECAN), a local community organization which refurbishes and operates affordable housing and offers supportive services in the Woodlawn neighborhood. WECAN is a participant of the University of Chicago’s Community Programs Accelerator, which provides capacity building for Chicago South Side nonprofits. WECAN is led by Ms. Mattie Butler, longtime resident and community organizer.
Through this program, WECAN built a partnership with UChicago’s Harris School of Public Policy to assess the state of housing in Woodlawn, track trends and identify residents at risk of displacement. With the support of nonprofit developer Preservation of Affordable Housing (POAH), Harris students and Woodlawn residents worked together to survey every parcel in the community, collect and analyze housing data.
This site visit will include a 30-minute tour of the Woodlawn neighborhood.
Meet the Obama Foundation Scholars
Venue: The Keller Center, 1307 E 60th Street, Sky Suite
Attendees will have the opportunity to meet and exchange ideas with Obama Foundation Scholars from Nepal, Peru, Kenya, India and Brazil at the University of Chicago, who are rising young leaders around the world making a difference in their communities. The Scholars will earn a Master of Arts degree focused on International Development and Policy at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy. This site visit will take place at the Keller Center, a mid-20th century building designed by Edward Durell Stone, opened in 2019 that is the new intellectual hub and home of the Harris School of Public Policy.
Moderator: Stefan Schaffer, NRDC, City Strategist, American Cities Climate Challenge
Panelists:
Rose Molokoane, Slum Dwellers International, Deputy President
Mary Rowe, Canadian Urban Institute, President and CEO
Theresa Williamson, Catalytic Communities, Founding Executive Director
Moderated by Susana Vasquez, University of Chicago Office of Civic Engagement, Associate Vice President
Venue: Ida Noyes Hall, 1212 E. 59th Street
Panelists:
Ellen O. Pratt, Commissioner of Land Use and Management, Liberia Land Authority
Hernán Kraviez, Norman Foster Foundation, Head of Architecture, Design & Technology
Jared Genova, ISeeChange, Urban Resilience Consultant
Eugenie Birch, Penn IUR, Co-Director
Moderated by Benjamin de la Peña, Chief of Strategy and Innovation, Seattle Department of Transportation
Venue: International House, 1414 E 59th Street
Speakers:
Eric Chu, University of California, Davis, Assistant Professor and Lead Author of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report
Joyce Coffee, Climate Resilience Consulting, Founder & President
Judith Helfand, "COOKED: Survival by Zip Code" documentary filmmaker
Don Wuebbles, University of Illinois, Professor
Moderated by Sabina Shaikh, University of Chicago, Director, Program on the Global Environment
Venue: International House, 1414 E 59th Street
Engaging Development Agencies at the Neighborhood Level
(Assembly Hall)
Sandy Fernandez, Mastercard Center For Inclusive Growth, Senior Director
Nancy Lozano Gracia, World Bank, Senior Economist
Anjali Mahendra, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities, Director of Research
Jagan Shah, DFID, Senior Infrastructure Advisor
Patricio Xavier Zambrano-Barragán, Inter-American Development Bank, Housing and Urban Development Specialist
Moderated by Anup Malani, UChicago Law, Professor
Closing the Gap Between Tech and the Human Experience
(Rockefeller Lounge)
John-Isaac "jC" Clark, ARTURO, CEO
Ryan Cook, Mapillary, Director of Strategic Operations
Josh Goldstein, CityBase, Chief Product Officer
Ryan Keisler, Descartes Labs, Head of Applied Science
Moderated by Anni Beukes, Mansueto Institute, Resident Fellow
Download a campus map of key venues.
How can I access WiFi on campus?
Login information will be provided at the registration desk each day of the event.
I’m vegan/vegetarian/halal or I have a food allergy; can you accommodate my dietary needs?
Vegetarian options will be provided at all meals. If other restrictions apply, please let us know by 10/12 by emailing miurban@uchicago.edu and we will work to accommodate any requests.
Will there be a place to work or take a phone call outside of the convening space?
Yes. UChicago is very crowded during the academic quarters with students and visitors, but we have reserved lounge space at Ida Noyes and International House for participant use. There are also many nice spaces just outside the venue buildings. Feel free to grab a table or chair outside that looks comfortable.
Where can I park my car?
Although street parking is available, we recommend that you use the Ellis (North) Garage located at the corner of 55th Street and Ellis Avenue (5525 South Ellis Avenue).
Rates:
0-2 hours - $12
2-3 hours - $16
3-4 hours - $22
4-24 hours - $28
How can I tag this on social media?
We’re glad you asked! Please feel free to use the following hashtags:
#ChiGlobalSymposium and #UChicagoUrban, and tag @miurbanchicago and @UNHABITAT.
We look forward to welcoming you to Chicago's historic Hyde Park neighborhood. For your convenience, a block of rooms have been reserved at the Hyatt Hyde Park hotel.
Group Name: UN Global Symposium – IPO Block
Suggested Rate: $209 USD / night
Group Code: G-GLB1
Stay Dates: October 22nd, 23rd, and 24th – 2019
Note: Should you wish to stay outside of these dates, you will need to book them separately from the group reservation. Trying to include additional dates not listed above will result in a “Hotel Unavailable” message.
Must Book By: Monday, September 23, 2019
Book Online: http://chicagosouthuniversity.place.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html?corp_id=G-GLB1
Please note: The link above does not auto-populate the group’s stay dates. Please enter your preferred dates of stay before checking availability.
Book By Phone: 1.888.591.1234
Please refer to the Group Name and/or Group Code to receive the Group Rate.
