Third Urban Economy Forum UEF 2021

The Urban Economy Forum (UEF), in collaboration with UN-Habitat, is organizing the third “Urban Economy Forum 2021” virtually on October 4, 5, & 6, 2021 in Toronto, Canada on the occasion of the World Habitat Day and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

The Forum’s main theme will be “Housing and Urban Recovery” and the practical approaches needed to move toward more sustainable urban economies. UEF 2021 is delighted to have Dr. Eduardo Moreno, Head of Knowledge and Innovation of UN-Habitat, as the Honourary Chair.

UEF’s mission is to work alongside local authorities and international organizations to promote and enhance the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) and in particular SDG11: sustainable cities and communities, by developing and testing innovative ideas in urbanism. In identifying new and different ways of managing cities, UEF aims to learn what works best and why, and to share this knowledge and other practical approaches with cities and towns globally.

UEF 2020, last year’s Forum, was a great success with more than 160 speakers from Canada and around the world from various disciplines including mayors, city leaders, government officials, the private sector, NGO representatives and the general public.

UEF 2021 will continue to bring together the expertise and knowledge from leading institutions and individuals to connect theory to policies and actions and demonstrate innovative solutions through case studies and best practices on sustainable housing and development.

Specifically, the Forum will highlight the interconnectedness between housing and homelessness and the economic, social, cultural and environmental dimensions of our cities and towns. It will also focus attention on the intersection between converging crises, such as COVID-19, climate and environmental emergencies and the housing crisis and begin the dialogue on how these elements are interrelated to urban economies around the world.

COVID-19 continues to create unprecedented challenges for cities and towns globally in the way we interact, live, play, study and work. The structural problems associated to housing have been further impacted by COVID-19. The pandemic also presents a glimpse of the potentially irreparable consequences of climate and environmental emergencies if we do not act now and in a decisive manner.

UEF 2021 will emphasise the urgency for global action and the need to pursue the shared Global Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This year the Urban Economy Forum is honoured to host ministers, mayors and high profile government and non-government individuals and organizations to contribute to the important conversation on housing and urban recovery together with the following sub-themes:

1. Urban economy and the global pandemic
2. Housing and urban economy: building forward better in a world with pandemics
3. Climate change and urban economy
4. Innovation, governance and the urban economy – rethinking urban paradigms
5. Public participation and community empowerment for equitable economic growth

The 3rd Urban Economy Forum also recognizes the importance of towns and small cities in this conversation.

On 4 October / 1:00pm - 2:45pm (Toronto Time), Cities Alliance will participate on the session The Role of Housing: Creating Cities that are Inclusive, Resilient, Safe and Sustainable, represented by Dr. Rene Hohmann, Head of Global Programmes. 

For more information and registration visit UEF 2021.