DAY 4 � WORLD URBAN FORUM III
URBAN GROWTH AND ENVIRONMENT
Thursday, June 22, 2006
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Vancouver, BC � The third session of the United Nations World Urban
Forum (WUF3) Our Future: Sustainable Cities � Turning Ideas into Action,
continues on Wednesday, June 22nd with a focus
urban growth
and environment. Two important dialogues will focus on Urban Planning and
Management and Energy. Various networking sessions will continue the dialogue
surrounding inclusive cities, sustainable partnerships, and social cohesion.
Below, find highlights of some of today�s key events including a schedule of
announcements.
Please note, the initials (HB) beside an event indicates thatwill be covered
by the Host Broadcaster pool feed. To maintain the integrity and dignity of this
event, no ENG cameras will be permitted into rooms where Host Broadcaster
cameras are installed. These events will be available to all broadcasters at the
Vancouver Telus TOC 604-663-5439.
ATTENTION: Space is limited in the dialogue and networking sessions, thus entry
is on a first-come, first-served basis.
Thursday� s Key Events
8:30 am � 9:30 am
Plenary Session � Urban Growth and Environment (HB)
Location: VCEC � Exhibit Hall A (HB � Available at TOC)
The urban environment, at a time of rapid growth, had become a global concern.
Sound planning and management will be a major factor in ensuring sustainable
urban development.
Moderator: Chris Leach, President, Canadian Institute of Planners, Canada
Speakers:
Enrique Penalosa, Visiting Scholar, New York University, USA; former Mayor of
Bogota, Colombia
Evelyn Herfkens, Executive Coordinator, Millennium Campaign, United Nations, USA
9:00 am � 12:00 pm
Discussion: Federation of Canadian Municipalities� Post-Tsunami Report
Location: Concourse Room, Wosk Centre (580 W. Hastings St.)
Canadian and Sri Lankan municipalities are working together to rebuild
communities destroyed by the tsunami leading to concrete results. Media
availability at noon.
9:30 am � 10:00 am
Daily Media Briefing
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC Exhibit Hall B
The Hon. Lindiwe Sisulu, Minister of Housing, South Africa will be speaking at
this morning�s media briefing, and will be available for questions following the
briefing.
10:00 am � 12:00 pm
Dialogue � The Shape of Cities: Urban Planning and Management
Location: VCEC � Ballroom B/C (HB � Available in Media Centre Only)
What are the crucial ingredients for running a successful city? This session
will explore the key issues of governance, management, and planning. Urban
planning is re-emerging as a powerful tool, especially in the developing world,
but its relationship with management and governance has changed. The purpose of
this dialogue will be to focus on this new relationship � �planning in a state
of flux�.
Facilitator: Steve Bradshaw, Producer, BBC-Panorama, United Kingdom
Commentators to include:
John Friedmann, Honorary Professor, School of Community & Regional Planning,
University of British Columbia, Canada
Tasneem Essop, Minister of Environment, Planning and Economic Development,
Provincial Government of the Western Cape, South Africa
Sunita Narain, Center for Science and Environment (CSE), India
Herbert Girardet, Environmental Consultant and Senior Adviser to Dontang
Eco-City, China
Clif Hague, President, Commonwealth Association of Planners, United Kingdom
10:00 am � 12:00 pm
DIALOGUE 2 � Energy: Local Action, Global Impact
Location: VCEC � Exhibition Hall A (HB � Available at TOC and Media Centre)
Access to affordable, modern energy services is a prerequisite for sustainable
human development. This dialogue session will feature speakers from both
developing and developed countries discussing energy and transport solutions.
The dialogue identify affordable and successful renewable energy options for
cities and highlight the role of industry and public-private-partnerships in
realizing this objective, as well as considering approaches to sustainable urban
transport.
Facilitator: Kevin Newman, News Anchor, Global National, Canada
Speakers:
Vijay Modi, Professor, Mechanical Engineering, Columbia University, USA
Enrique Penalosa, Visiting Scholar, New York University, USA; former Mayor, City
of
Bogota, Colombia
Anumita Roychowdhury, Coordinator of Policy Research and Advocacy on vehicular
Pollution in India for the �Centre for Science and Environment� (CSE), India
Mary Jane C. Ortega, Mayor, City of San Fernando, The Phillipines
Harriette Amissah-Arthur, Director, KITE, Ghana
10:30 am � 11:00 am
Special Availability: Press Conference with His Excellency Minister Pashtun,
Afghanistan
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC � Exhibit Hall B
His Excellency Minister Pashtun from the Ministry of Urban Development in
Afghanistan will speak to media regarding the urban challenges and new
opportunities to reduce poverty in Afghanistan.
11:00 am � 12:00 pm
Press Conference: The David Suzuki Foundation
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC � Exhibit Hall B
Dr. David Suzuki, Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan, and UBC sustainable
transportation professor, Dr. Lawrence Frank will speak about how the proposed
twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and Highway 1 expansion will jeopardize Greater
Vancouver�s quality of life and its international reputation as a world leader
in urban planning. The panel will discuss more sustainable alternatives that
will ensure Greater Vancouver continues to be one of the most liveable regions
in the world.
Speakers: Dr. David Suzuki, Scientist, Broadcaster, and Chair of the
David Suzuki Foundation
Dr. Lawrence Frank, Chair of Sustainable Urban Transportation Systems, UBC
Derek Corrigan, Mayor of Burnaby
2:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Press Conference: Launch of GUSSE: Where Cities Meet Cities
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC � Exhibit Hall B
The Global Urban Sustainability Solutions Exchange (GUSSE) is being launched as
an online forum where the world can collectively discuss, review, and apply the
best ideas for sustainable cities. This online forum is the first of its kind.
3:00 pm � 4:00 pm
Press Conference: Indigenous Youth Caucus
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC � Exhibit Hall B
The Indigenous Youth Caucus will hold a press conference today and discuss
issues relevant to the IYC at the WUF3. The Indigenous Youth Caucus invites
media to attend this discussion and participate in a question and answer period.
3:00 pm � 3:30 pm
Siging of Africa-Canada Local Government Agreement
Location: Canada Pavilion, VCEC � Exhibit Hall B
Following almost 20 years of collaboration among Canadian and African local
governments through the Federation of Canadian Municipalities� (FCM) leadership,
African municipal governments in Mali, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Ghana will sign
an agreement of collaboration with Canada (represented by FCM) to strengthen
local governments.
4:00 pm � 4:30 pm
Press Conference: Indigenous Women
Location: UN Plaza, VCEC - Exhibit Hall B
Indigenous women from Mexico, Bolivia, and Guatemala have come to the World
Urban Forum to share their knowledge and concerns with the world community.
7:00 pm � 11:30 pm
Special Side Event: Glocal Hip Hop Mainstage
Location: Great Northern Way Campus (555 Great Northern Way)
The Global Hip Hop Mainstage will feature internationally renowned Hip-Hop and
World Music performers from four continents. A special ceremony will be held
inducting aboriginal hip-hop artist Curtis Clearsky as a UN-HABITAT Messenger of
Truth. The Mainstage will also feature live graffiti and dance performances, a
welcoming ceremony, Kenyan traditional dance and a report out on the 75 World
Urban Cafes held globally leading up to WUF3.
Networking Sessions
1:30 pm � 3:30 pm
Networking Sessions: Slum Diaries: Participatory Media Creation for Social Change
Location: Pan Pacific Hotel � Oceanview Suites 3 & 4
This event brings together slum dwellers, filmmakers, potential funders, and
broadcasters to discuss participatory media creation for social change. The aim
of this event is to launch a global media partnership to give a voice to the
voiceless.
Speakers: Slum Dwellers International
Peggy Holter, Al Jazeera International
Nettie Wild, Filmmaker
Daniel Cross, Homeless Nation
Serendip Productions
Brett Gaylor, Pakistan, Homeless Nation
MYSA Children�s project, Kenya
SEWA representative, India
Communicating for Change, Nigeria
1:30 pm � 3:30 pm
Networking Sessions: Habitat JAM Networking Session
Location: VCEC � Meeting Room 12
From December 1 - 4, 2005, over 39,000 participants from 158 countries came
together to share ideas on how to solve some of the world�s most critical urban
issues. Habitat JAM was a first of its kind Internet event for the World Urban
Forum 3. Media are invited to the Habitat JAM networking session to learn more
about this unprecedented event.
Speakers: Charles Kelly, Commissioner General, WUF3
Jan Peterson, Founder and Chair of the Secretariat of the Huairou Commission
Mike Wong, Vice President of Strategic Communications, IBM
Chris Gibbon, Vice President, Global Social Services Social Security, IBM
4:30 pm � 6:30 pm
Networking Sessions: On the Street Off the Street: Women, Safety and Security in
Urban Places.
Location: VCEC � Meeting Room 1
An international audience of experiential women, vulnerable youth, and advocacy
organizations from the entire spectrum of the sex industry will converge for
this important networking session. This is the only event to provide
stakeholders with a rare opportunity to meet women and youth organizations from
Vancouver�s Downtown Eastside, Chile, and Kenya who all support a goal of
sharing strategies and creating lasting international partnerships that will
improve the lives and security of vulnerable women and youth. Participating
organizations include the Community Intersectoral Methodological Model (MOMIC),
from Santiago, Chile; Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education (PACE)
from Vancouver, BC; Prostitutes Empowerment Education Resource Society (PEERS),
Vancouver, BC; SWAN, Vancouver, BC; Women�s Information Safe House (WISH),
Vancouver, BC; Vision Sisters Working Sisters (VSWS), Kibera, Nairobi; The
Vancouver Agreement, Vancouver, BC.
Speakers:
Ardath Paxton Mann, Assistant Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification
Canada, Federal Chair, Vancouver Agreement, Canada
Eliana Dentone Verardi, President, Union of Sex Workers/Sindicato de
Trabajadores
Sexuales, Chile
Hamza Ahmed, Chairperson, Vision Sisters Working Sisters/Interfaith Women, Kenya
Kyla Kaun, Director of Public Relations, PEERS, Canada
Lauren Casey, Coordinator, Canadian National Coalition of Experiential Women,
Canada
Maria Hudspith, Director, Community Engagement, Vancouver Coastal Health, Canada
Marcela Tchimino Nhamias, Coordinator, Community Intersectoral Methodological
Model c/o MOMIC, Chile
Melanie Mark, Youth Advocate, Covenant House and Urban Native Youth
Association, Canada
WUF3 Media Centre Contact Numbers
- 604-647-7460
- 604-647-7459
- 604-647-7458
For Further Information
Jeremy Dunn
Curve Communications
(604) 684-3170 / (604) 726-8350 (cell)
[email protected]
Sharad Shankardass
Spokesperson, Head Press & Media Relations
UN-Habitat
+254-733-760-332
[email protected]
Zahra Hassan
Media Liaison
UN-Habitat
604-723-5851
[email protected]