This February, thousands of participants from around the world will gather in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates) for the tenth World Urban Forum (WUF10), organised by UN-Habitat. This year's event will focus on the theme "Cities of opportunities – Connecting Culture and Innovation." It will build off the legacy of the Forum, which has, since 2001, brought international stakeholders together to address the critical challenge of sustainable urbanisation.

Working to tackle this challenge is at the very core of the IUC programme. As such, the IUC is pleased to have been accepted to present two sessions at WUF10, both taking place on 9 February 2020.

First, a Side Event (9 Feb, 12:30 - 13:30, Hall 3: Room 20) will discuss Implementing the New Urban Agenda locally: driving sustainable urban development through innovative city-to-city cooperation. This event will reflect on the successes and lessons learnt over the past three years of the IUC programme. It will include a keynote address by UN-Habitat, presenting findings from their new report on the IUC’s contribution to the New Urban Agenda. This will be complemented by reflections and discussions with IUC city representatives.

It is clear that the IUC will have to build on its success moving forward. Speaking to this point, the highlight of the Side Event will be the announcement of the IUC’s second phase by Rudolf NIESSLER, Principal Advisor, Directorate-General of Regional and Urban Policy of the European Commission.

In the afternoon, the IUC will present a longer Networking Event (9 Feb, 16:30 - 18:30, Hall 3: Room 14) on City-to-city cooperation on culture and innovation as a driver of sustainable urban development. This event will place the focus on how city-to-city cooperation can and has supported cities to harness their cultural heritage and test new innovations, as two paths towards fostering sustainable urban development. IUC pairings from across regions will come together for a panel discussion, moderated by UN-Habitat, that will share best practice examples and engage the audience, inviting them to provide input and contribute their own ideas on how to replicate and learn from the measures presented. The event will not only address the role of culture and innovation in sustainable urban development, but it will do so while centring cities and the power of inter-city exchange.

IUC cities may further be interested in a WUF10 session taking place on 11 February on Experiences and achievement of the Urban Agenda for the EU. The session, organised by the Municipality of Oulu (Finland) and the European Commission Directorate-General for Regional and Urban Policy, will take stock of the implementation of the Urban Agenda for the EU – an agenda that the IUC supports cities in implementing. The event will provide insights regarding products and ideas for implementing the Agenda, spanning topics such as digital transition, circular economy, sustainable use of land and nature-based solutions.

For more information on WUF10, click here. Be sure to follow along with the event by tuning in to the IUC Twitter feed on 9 February.

Header image by Adrienne Kotler, taken at the World Urban Forum 2020.