SHLC’s Side Event at the UN Habitat’s World Urban Forum aims to provoke fresh insight into understanding urban sustainability at the neighbourhood level in fast-growing cities.

SHLC’s international research team will showcase initial findings exploring neighbourhood sustainability from 14 case study cities across Africa and Asia to help inform our understanding of sustainable urban development and ensure neighbourhoods are an inclusive, safe, and resilient place to live.

Presentations will be followed by a Q&A with the panel and networking session where there will be an opportunity to explore a small photography exhibition showcasing images taken during neighbourhood fieldwork.

Speakers and Panel 

• Professor Ya Ping Wang – University of Glasgow (Moderator)
• Dr Shilpi Roy – Khulna University, Bangladesh (Speaker)
• Dr Francis Levira – Ifakara Health Institute, Tanzania (Speaker)
• Professor Debolina Kundu – National Institute of Urban Affairs, India (Moderator)
• Dr Jaideep Gupte – Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex (Panelist)
• Professor Cliff Hague – Heriot-Watt University and Cockburn Association (Panelist)
• Remy Sietchiping – UN Habitat (Panelist)
• Andre Muller – Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), Germany (Panelist)
• Tadashi Matsumoto – Head of Unit, Sustainable Development and Global Relations, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (Panelist)

Background

Globalisation and rapid urban growth means neighbourhoods across Asian and African cities are more dynamic than ever. Assuring sustainability in our neighborhoods plays an important role in delivering sustainable cities and communities. But the pressing demand for a healthy and inclusive living environment, quality learning opportunities, a thriving local economy and active participation in local governance have been major policy challenges in Asian and African cities.

To address these challenges it is crucial that good local practices and stories are shared to offer an insight into the understanding of sustainable neighbourhoods.

Event hosts, the GCRF Centre for Sustainable, Healthy and Learning Cities and Neighbourhoods (SHLC), is an international collaborative research centre supported by UK Research and Innovation and is currently conducting comparative studies of urbanisation and the formation and differentiation of neighbourhoods in 14 cities across Africa and Asia. During this side event, the SHLC international research team will showcase the status of neighbourhood sustainability and its associated forces in case study cities to hep inform our understanding of sustainable urban development.