Key Messages for the “New Urban Agenda”

"By 2050, 70 percent of the world’s population will live in urban areas. Rapid urbanization is producing new contexts through which violence and conflict operate and it is critical to understand these complex dynamics. Urban settings have characteristics, which require effective, context- specific approaches. Violence and conflict in urban areas can involve different kinds of violence and can be driven by diverse vectors such as political, socio-economic, institutional and environmental. The event aimed to enhance our understanding of the nexus between urbanization, violence, and conflict in fragile settings. The following key messages emanated from the event and should be given consideration in the discussion on the New Urban Agenda." 

Key messages here. Also, Hanne Kristoffersen, Local Governace Specialist of UNDP, wrote an article on Leaving No One and No City Behind, reflecting on one of the UN's sustainable development goal.

Transcript: Opening Remarks by Deen Sharp

The Nexus of Urbanization, Violence and Conflict: Linking SDG 11 and SDG 16 was organized by the Permanent Missions of Lebanon and Norway to the UN, City College of New York - CUNY, UNDP, UN-Habitat, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), in coordination with the Global Alliance for Urban Crises. 

Urban Meta-Morphology: Revealing the Invisible Image of the City

Terreform Principal Researcher, Damiano Cerrone, was invited to present at the Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM). Located in UCLA campus, ICAM is a NSF Mathematical Sciences Institute dedicated to bringing researchers from various disciplines and areas of mathematics for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Presenting during Workshop 1: Culture Analytics Beyond Text: Image, Music, Video, Interactivity and Performance, Damiano's talk, Urban Meta-Morphology. Revealing the Invisible Image of the City, aimed to "hack the invisible city, leverage the strengths of urban spaces and explore how the many characters, all the different layers of the urban fabric come together."

Watch his presentation below, and read his abstract on the IPAM's website.

LIVE NOTES: The Nexus of Urbanization, Violence and Conflict: Linking SDG 11 and SDG 16

Panel II 'New Geographies of Urban Violence' (L-R) Alexandra Hiniker, PAX representative to the UN; Samuel Doe, Policy Advisor, UNDP; Deen Sharp, Doctoral candidate at the City University of New York; Esteban Leon, Chief Technical Advisor, UNHABITAT. Photo: Reem Aliessa

Less visible forms of urban violence that go beyond ideas of construction and deconstruction need attention. --- Deen Sharp

Explosive weapons are leading cause of destruction of healthcare facilities.... Use of wide area explosive weapons in populated areas always leads to high injury of civilians. --- Alexandra Hiniker

Challenges of urbanization can be combated through understanding the city rather than individual challenges. --- Esteban Leon

Notes by Kira Rakova.

UPDATE: Read the Key Messages for the "New Urban Agenda" here.

The Nexus of Urbanization, Violence and Conflict: Linking SDG 11 and SDG 16 was organized by the Permanent Missions of Lebanon and Norway to the UN, City College of New York - CUNY, UNDP, UN-Habitat, and the International Rescue Committee (IRC), in coordination with the Global Alliance for Urban Crises.