Cities: Crossroads of Cultures

2nd World Urban Forum in Barcelona, September 13-17, 2004

FIG attended the 2nd World Urban Forum under the theme “Cities: Crossroads of Cultures – inclusiveness and integration?” organised by UN-Habitat in Barcelona, Spain, September 13-17, 2004. The conference attracted almost 5,000 registered participants. This 2nd WUF included dialogues and networking events that were organized by UN-Habitat with several partners representing governments, local authorities, CBOs, NGOs, international donors and professionals like the Habitat Professionals Forum and FIG.

At the opening ceremony keynote presentations were given in addition to Dr. Anna K. Tibaijuka, Executive Director of UN-Habitat with eminent speakers including Mr. Michail Gorbachev, former President of the Russian Federation, Mr. Martti Ahtisaari, former President of Finland and Mr. Rafic Hariri, Lebanese Prime Minister, who also was presented the Special Citation of the Habitat-Scroll of Honour.

The conference programme included nine dialogues with all Habitat partners and almost 100 networking events were divided under six themes: city management, finance, housing and infrastructure, sustainability, inclusiveness, and risks. FIG was co-organiser at two sessions: The Challenges of City Financing: Habitat’s Professionals Forum and Land and Urban Poverty. They both attracted a full meeting room of interested delegates to discuss the issues of city financing and security of tenure. The presentations will be available on the Habitat Professionals Forum’s web site ( www.habitatforum.org ) and at the home page of the Tenure Unit of UN-Habitat. At the city financing session FIG was represented by Timo Härmälä from Finland and at the security of tenure session by President Holger Magel. Further FIG representatives at the WUF Forum were Vice President Ralf Schroth and Diane Dumashie, Chair of FIG Commission 8 and Markku Villikka, Director, FIG office.

At the Habitat Professionals Forum Steering Committee meeting Prof. Holger Magel was appointed as the new chair of the Steering Committee.

The papers of the networking event - The Challenges of City Financing: Habitat’s Professionals Forum and Land and Urban Poverty:

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Speakers at the city financing session: Prof. Om Prakash Mathur (India), Timo Härmälä (Finland) and Prof. Aloysius C. Mosha (Botswana).

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Speakers at the city financing session: Don Okpala (UN-Habitat), Timo Härmälä (Finland),  Prof. Aloysius C. Mosha (Botswana), Dr. Irene Wiese  - von Ofen, Prof. Horst Zimmermann and Prof. Om Prakash Mathur (India).

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Audience at the networking event on city financing.

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FIG President Holger Magel with representatives from Kenya and CASLE: Cyprien Riungu (next to Prof. Magel), Don Okpala, UN-Habitat and Clifford Dann (on the right).

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Networking event on land and urban poverty.

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Networking event on land and urban poverty - in the front Clarissa Augustinus, Head of Land Tenure Unit of UN-Habitat.

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Networking event on land and urban poverty.
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Networking event on land and urban poverty.

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Prof. Holger Magel, new Chair of the Habitat Professionals Forum awarded Dr. Irene Wiese - von Ofen, the first chair of the Forum with FIG President's gift.

 

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