Cities at the Crossroads: Public event to launch the Council on Urban Initiatives

Cities are at the crossroads of the most pressing global challenges. They are responsible for the bulk of greenhouse gas emissions; they are the contested arenas where social, economic and racial inequalities are most stark; they were the early epicentres of contagion during the pandemic. At the same time, they offer the most hope for transformation, with cities leading the way in promoting innovation and experimentation, creating alternative responses to these challenges.

This event will focus on the complexities and opportunities involved in generating governance, policy and design responses at the city level around the core themes of health, justice and the environment. Speakers include a diverse group of internationally prominent urban leaders and practitioners: António Guterres, Secretary General, United Nations; Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO; Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN-Habitat; Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona; LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans; Claudia López, Mayor of Bogotá; Mariana Mazzucato, Director, IIPP, UCL; Richard Sennett, Visiting Professor of Urban Studies, MIT; and Ricky Burdett, Director, LSE Cities. 

This hybrid event will take place at the British Academy in London in front of a small, invited audience and will be available to watch on Zoom as well as being streamed live on YouTube.

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12.30-12.35 Welcome, Julia Black, President, the British Academy (IN-PERSON)

12.35-12.45 Introduction to the Council, Co-Chairs, Mariana Mazzucato, Director, IIPP, UCL and Ricky Burdett, Director, LSE Cities (IN-PERSON)

12.45-12.55 António Guterres, UN Secretary General, pre-recorded video

12.55-1.30 Discussion, Richard Sennett, Visiting Professor of Urban Studies, MIT, Mariana Mazzucato, Director, IIPP, UCL and Council Members (IN-PERSON)

1.30-2.30 Roundtable discussion, Ada Colau, Mayor of Barcelona (IN-PERSON); LaToya Cantrell, Mayor of New Orleans (VIRTUAL); Claudia López, Mayor of Bogotá (VIRTUAL). Moderated by Lesley Lokko, Founding Director, Africa Futures Institute and Leilani Farha, Global Director, The Shift (IN-PERSON)

2.30-2.35 Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, pre-recorded video

2.35-2.40 Closing remarks, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director, UN-Habitat (IN-PERSON)

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Council on Urban Initiatives The event marks the launch of the Council on Urban Initiatives, a new collaboration between UN-Habitat, the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at University College London and LSE Cities at the London School of Economics.  

Constituted initially by an international group of eighteen pioneering mayors, practitioners, activists and academics, the Council has been formed in response to UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ call to use the COVID-19 pandemic as an ‘opportunity to reflect and reset how we live, interact, and rebuild our cities’. The Council’s mission is to centre the urban in global debates, influence agendas at the highest levels of the UN and international community, and to promote experimentation to overcome barriers to innovation and progressive policymaking at the city level.  

Building on the experience of urban and national leaders on the Council - representing Barcelona, Bogotá, Mexico City, New Orleans, Gaziantep, Freetown, Singapore and Paraguay – and unique perspectives on the political economy, urban design, social inclusion and housing in global cities, the Council will focus on three interconnected themes of health, social justice and climate change.

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Further event information can be found here.

Read more about the Council on Urban Initiatives here.