Jenny Mbaye at UNESCO International Conference on Culture for Sustainable cities

Jenny Mbaye recently participated in the UNESCO International Conference on Culture for Sustainable Cities organised in Hangzhou (People’s Republic of China) from 10 to 12 December 2015; an event that was able to bring together some 250 participants from all regions of the world, and with a diversity of backgrounds and expertise in terms of culture-led urban regeneration.

Conceived as a platform for discussion and exchange on the role of culture for sustainable urban development, the Conference resulted in insightful recommendations for implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and shaping the ‘New Urban Agenda’ that will be adopted at the Third United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (HABITAT III) in Quito, Ecuador, in October 2016.

Jenny moderated and reported on the panel ‘Cultural Institutions and Events: Leverages for urban regeneration’, which focused on cultural spaces and explored the latter as places for the generation of knowledge as well as key in revitalising the urban fabric. The panel welcomed contributions from an ecclectic range of practitioners: Alessandro Balducci (Milan); Zhang Bing (Beijing); Clementine Cecil (London, Liverpool); Judy Ogana (Nairobi); Javier Jimenez (systemic approach on museum, city and soft power).

‘Hangzhou Outcomes’ as well as speakers’ interventions will be available on the website of the Conference: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/culture-and-development/culture-for-sustainable-cities/.