IV World Urban Forum in Nanjing China
President Stig Enemark attends the 4th World Urban Forum in
China - Land issues have a key role in Harmonizing Urbanization
Nanjing, China P. R., 3-6 November 2008
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Dialogue 2 - Promoting Social Equity and Inclusiveness -
Li Guo,
Senior Agricultural Economist, World Bank; Stig Enemark,
President, International Federation of Surveyors (FIG); Ms. Rita
Payne, former Senior Producer BBC’s Asia Today (moderator); Ms.
Kyung-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights; Mr. Anders
Knape, President, Swedish Association of Local Authorities
(SALAR), Sweden. |
The Fourth World Urban Forum organised by UN-HABITAT took place in
Nanjing, China P. R. 3-6 November 2008. The theme of this WUF was “Harmonious
Urbanization: the Challenge of Balanced Territorial Development.”
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Stig Enemark. |
The main topics of WUF included how to
tackle rapid urbanisation and its impact on the poor. More
than 10,000 participants from non-governmental
organisations, community-based groups, urban professionals
and academics to governments, local authorities, and
national and international associations were at the forum.
Through a series of round-table discussions, seminars and
dialogues, participants exchanged ideas and discussed formal
and informal ways to come up with action-oriented proposals
to create sustainable cities.
"When the world converges on Nanjing, the global urban
population will have passed the halfway mark and more people
will be living in cities than in rural areas,” said Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, at the
opening ceremony of the forum. "In this era of rapid
urbanization, compounded by the complexities of climate
change, we look forward to a stimulating exchange of ideas
on how best to make the process of urbanization more
harmonious and less divisive." |
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Anna Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-HABITAT. |
The city of Nanjing, located on the lower reaches of the Yangtze
River, dates back more than 2,000 years and is known as the ancient
capital of the Six Dynasties of China. Today, home to 6 million
people, it is a rapidly-growing, modern city and is one of the most
dynamic in eastern China. It offered excellent venue for the WUF.
The Chinese hosts made there utmost to make sure the WUF would be
one to remember. Armies of eager, young, English-speaking volunteers
were on hand to direct and advise the thousands of delegates and
attend to their every need. WUF is a biennial gathering established
by the United Nations in 2002 to address the issue of rapid
urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, and
policies. Its previous three sessions were held in Nairobi,
Barcelona, and Vancouver. The next forum will be in Rio de Janeiro
in 2010. |
FIG was represented at the WUF by President Stig Enemark, who was
one of the keynote speakers in Dialogue 2 - Promoting Social Equity and
Inclusiveness, which was one of the six dialogues that were the core
sessions of the WUF. His presentation included the launch of the report from
the FIG/UN-HABITAT seminar in Stockholm in June - Improving Slum Conditions
through Innovative Financing (FIG publication no. 44) and information about
FIG contribution to the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN). In the GLTN
Roundtable he had a larger presentation on the report and on the FIG role in
promoting pro poor land tools.
President Enemark attended also the meeting of the International Advisory
Board of GLTN that made the work plan for GLTN for the next years. FIG will
play a key role in this programme.
At the Habitat Professionals Forum meeting John Zetter from IFHP
was elected as the new chair of the HPF. He will replace Stig Enemark in
this position. This will end also the period of FIG hosting the
Professionals Forum. There are plans to increase the activities in the HPF
by trying to get new professional groups in the Forum's work.
Read more:
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Roundtable on Global Land Tool Network
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Stig Enemark making his presentation at the GLTN Roundtable. |
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Nanjing International Expo Center - new conference and exhibition
centre was the venue for WUF. |
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Fuji Temple in Nanjing. |
Ming Xiaoling Tomb. |
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Jinghai Temple in the Lion Mountain Park.
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Like in many places in China there is lot of construction work going
on in Nanjing. |
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