Event: Transforming Local Government Conference 2013
10–12 April 2013 
Atlanta, Georgia
Can you imagine what the future holds for local government? While it’s hard to gain full insight into the future, what we do know is that local communities are changing. This change is happening as a result of demographic swings, economics, and shifts in the political landscape. Success into the future for a local government organization will be defined by an ability to adapt, learn and foster creative ideas to meet the challenges of tomorrow.
Through innovative case study sessions, conference attendees will take an in-depth look at the ingenuity and creativity of successful government programs. During provocative keynote sessions, you’ll be inspired to tap into new energy and a sense of reinforced commitment to your work. Learn more.
Opportunity: Post+ Capitalist City Move Competition
Deadline: 15 April 2013
Could we imagine an alternative society in which the free movement of people takes part of their human rights? If people could follow the path of the internet and the migration of information, what would happen to our society? Would our ability to move depend on money and how would it influence tourism? How can we deal with the freedom of movement and borders? How could we overcome the dilemmas of urban mobility? Would there be a changing urban aesthetic relating to urban space and technologies of transport and communication? What could be the future of the pedestrian? And how could our movements shape the urban landscapes and our daily lives in the cities?
The scale of the project is up to you! One can think about a global solution for urban conditions on a world scale whereas others would rather talk about their own street corner! Both are interesting! The only rule: it must be urban and prospective, according to the main thesis. As this competition tries to develop critical and concrete ideas to a hypothetical situation, the entrants are invited to define the context (political, economical and geographical, including if needed a time schedule) in which their proposal has to be related to be credible and optimized. Utopias as dystopias can be considered, as long as the proposals permit to bring original ideas and thoughts according to the statement. Submission Deadline: 15th of April 2013. Learn more.
Event: World Cities Summit Mayors Forum
13–15 June 2013 Bilbao, Spain
The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum is an annual global event for city mayors and leaders to discuss pressing urban issues and share best practices. Based on the theme of “Liveable And Sustainable Cities: Common Challenges, Shared Solutions”, the fourth edition of the Forum from 13 to 15 June 2013 is expected to cover a wider range of issues with opportunities to translate ideas into business solutions. The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum will be held in Bilbao, Spain for the first time, extending its reach to more cities, deepening the discourse on urban solutions and encouraging greater collaborations between cities.
The World Cities Summit Mayors Forum was initiated by Singapore in 2010 as a response to the urgent need for cities to come together to address pressing urban challenges. It has since become one of the biggest and most important platforms for mayors and city leaders to generate new insights, ideas and solutions that can be applied to many cities. It is a key event as part of the larger World Cities Summit held once every two years and is co-organised by the Centre for Liveable Cities and the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Learn more.
Event: Forum mondial de la démocratie
27–29 novembre 2013 Strasbourg, France
Le manque de participation démocratique est le symptôme du découplage entre les citoyens et les institutions. Les médias et réseaux sociaux permettent aux responsables politiques et aux militants d’être en prise directe avec le public, à tout moment et en tout lieu. Ils favorisent l’émergence d’une multitude de communautés d’intérêts, mais peinent à s’imposer comme le lieu d’un vaste débat démocratique. Ils ont alimenté des révolutions démocratiques et des mouvements citoyens de protestation, mais peuvent-ils réellement contribuer à consolider la démocratie représentative et la gouvernance au quotidien ?
L’édition 2013 du Forum mondial de la démocratie à Strasbourg s’intéressera au thème de la participation démocratique en adoptant une démarche dite appréciative : au lieu de se focaliser sur les problèmes, si vastes et complexes qu’ils peuvent paraître insurmontables, le but est de présenter des initiatives, des expériences et des idées qui proposent des réponses et une voie à suivre. S’intéresser aux solutions plutôt qu’aux problèmes est un moyen de stimuler la créativité et l’imagination et de mobiliser les énergies pour une idée, plutôt que contre. Le Forum sera l’occasion de découvrir les initiatives réussies de participation démocratique, les obstacles auxquels elles se heurtent et leur potentiel de généralisation. Il sera aussi le lieu d’une évaluation critique des nouvelles idées d’innovation démocratique et de leur développement en mode « open source » par les leaders et les innovateurs présents physiquement ou virtuellement. En savoir plus.
Event: South Asian Cities Summit
17–18 April 2013 New Delhi, India
By the middle of this century, the world’s urban population will likely have doubled to reach 7 billion people. In Asia alone, cities are projected to reach 2.5 billion people by 2025. The scale and pace of urbanization is unprecedented and its impact will be felt in all spheres on human life. Quite simply, this will be one of the defining features of the 21st century. This urban world comes with a complex set of environmental, economic and social challenges, but also represents a unique opportunity to build more sustainable, vibrant, innovative, and equitable communities.
Finding solutions for a better urban future involves developing new forms of collaboration and partnerships. Inspired by the possibilities of this new urban era and driven by the philosophy of ‘Connecting Cities. Building Knowledge’ the Cities Network Campaign, in partnership with Department of Environment – Government of NCT of Delhi, All India Institute of Local Self Government (AIILSG), WRI India and UNESCO, is organising the South Asian Cities Summit 2013 from 17th–18th April, 2013 at Hotel-Imperial, New Delhi, India. Read more.
Event: 2013 PASCAL Conference – Local communities in the sustainable and healthy learning city neighbourhood and community, partnership and learning
18–20 November 2013 Hong Kong
Decades-old environmental and resource challenges now combine with persisting global financial and economic crisis to make ‘the end of growth’ a new and fearful nightmare – acknowledged by some, denied by others. How to build futures for all that are economically viable, socially cohesive, culturally inclusive, and environmentally constructive?
This first PASCAL Conference to be held in Asia draws on the PASCAL International Exchanges Project, PIE to examine the direction, capacity and governance of cities. It is planned in partnership with the host Hong Kong Institute of Education and RMIT’s European Union Centre, with regional bodies such as ACUPEN, ASPBAE and EAFEA. Other partners include the Hong Kong UNEVOC Centre.
The Conference will focus on present and future action, mainly within neighbourhood communities and in cities. Exploring how good practice can be adopted and adapted between different regions, cultures and traditions represents a crucial opportunity. This will be tested by the Conference and its aftermath. Read more.
Event: Innovative Solutions for Cities: A Webinar Series Featuring Cutting-Edge Tools and Good Practices for Urban Management
10 April – 13 June 2013
The World Bank Institute’s Urban Practice has been implementing a comprehensive program that equips city leaders, municipal staff, and other practitioners with innovative strategies and tools to realize the potential benefits of urbanization. The webinar series is being launched to provide an overview of cutting-edge, practical instruments as well as good practices that have been discovered, developed, and deployed by the team as well as external partners to contribute further to the wealth of knowledge for the benefit city officials and other relevant urban practitioners. The goal is to make the public aware of these powerful initiatives for them to examine how they can possibly be used or adapted in their own contexts. Read more.
Event: Tech4Good
18–21 março 2013 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
A partir de hoje estão abertas as inscrições para o Tech4Good, movimento liderado pelo Comitê para Democratização da Informática (CDI) e o Instituto-E. O objetivo é convidar a sociedade civil para promover ações que usem a tecnologia para solucionar problemas do dia a dia ou para mobilizar pessoas para uma causa do bem.
Tec-ativistas de todo Brasil podem inscrever suas ideias, até o dia 08 de março, por meio de formulário disponível neste hotsite, pela fan page no Facebook e Google Plus. Ao todo serão seis categorias: Terra, Meio Ambiente, Energia, Economia, Educação e Empoderamento, sendo que é possível uma mesma pessoa participar de mais de uma categoria. As iniciativas serão avaliadas por um júri oficial e os 06 finalistas selecionados serão divulgados no site a partir do dia 14.
No período de 18 a 21 de março os 06 escolhidos vão se apresentar no palco do Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC), evento da Endeavor que reunirá no Lagoon, no Rio de Janeiro, empreendedores de 125 países. Durante o evento, os finalistas receberão troféu e kit Tech4Good e o título de Embaixador do Bem, que confere ao vencedor a possibilidade de ao longo do ano, juntamente com o CDI e Instituto-E, inspirar e incentivar as pessoas a usarem a tecnologia para o bem.
Além disso, o Tech4Good vai premiar empreendedores com ideias de negócios sociais de base tecnológica, que serão convidados a participar de uma mentoria de design thinking, pela empresa MJV Tecnologia e Inovação, também durante o GEC. Leia mais.
Opportunity: 2013 FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards: Urban Ideas in Action
Today, more than half the world’s population lives in cities. The explosive growth of urban communities is one of the most significant demographic trends of the 21st century. It also challenges governments, companies, organisations and individuals to provide the services and amenities to make modern cities work. The 2013 FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards: Urban Ideas in Action programme aims to discover and promote the most ingenious ideas, inventions and innovations that help ensure cities remain centres of creativity and progress.
With more than 3.6 billion people currently living in urban areas – a number expected to exceed 6 billion by 2050, according to the United Nations – cities, their leaders, and inhabitants will have to find new ways to thrive. The competitiveness and vitality of the world’s cities depends on the decisions and innovations of all urban stakeholders, from citizens and communities to organisations, corporations and municipalities. This global programme was developed by the FT and Citi, in collaboration with INSEAD, to recognize those promoting urban progress. What’s New for 2013 In 2013, the FT/Citi Ingenuity Awards will recognise urban ingenuity in a wide ranges of areas – from city administration, transport systems, energy and utilities, education and resource management, to housing, health, public safety, social services, mobile technologies and community engagement. To be considered, solutions should:
- Have been implemented between 2007 and 2012
- Address a serious social, economic, environmental or health-related challenge
- Improve the quality of urban life
Submissions will be accepted online from January 23, 2013 to March 31, 2013. Each applicant must read and accept the Terms and Conditions set forth in the application (accessible after sign-in) for their application to be considered. Winners will be chosen by region and a global winner will be announced at an awards dinner in New York in December 2013. To Nominate an individual or organization, please email us. Submissions will be reviewed on a range of criteria, including originality, impact, efficiency and outcomes. Criteria were developed by INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools. All entries will be reviewed by the FT and INSEAD for qualification. A panel of global experts will select the winners. As sponsor, Citi will not review or judge submissions. Finalists will be profiled in a series of global magazines published by the FT in 2013. Regional finalists will be invited to attend events in 2013 to further dialogue on urban challenges and solutions with key industry leaders. Learn more.
Opportunity: Faire des histoires? Du récit d’urbanisme à l’urbanisme fictionnel: faire la ville à l’heure de la société du spectacle
Il y a près de trente ans, parallèlement à l’émergence, dans les sciences sociales, d’un tournant discursif, Bernardo Secchi évoquait, au moyen de ce qu’il appelait alors le “récit d’urbanisme”, le souci des urbanistes pour la production de mythes, faisant d’une activité souvent considérée comme principalement technique, un travail centré sur la fabrique d’images et d’imaginaires. Cette conception de la pratique urbanistique donnera lieu à un puissant courant de recherche dans le monde anglo-saxon. On y tendra d’une part à faire converger récit d’urbanisme et storytelling (Throgmorton, 2007, 2003 ; Sandercock, 2003 ; Eckstein, Throgmorton, 2003) ; d’autre part, à poser le storytelling comme un modèle prescriptif ou descriptif de la pratique urbanistique (van Hulst, 2012).
Les propositions de communication peuvent être tout autant des restitutions de recherche (selon la forme canonique des communications à un colloque académique) que des retours de pratique.
Le colloque aura lieu le 11 septembre 2013 à Genève. En savoir plus.