Background
Sustainable Development Goal 11 embodies a commitment to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”. As part of an integrated agenda, cities and human settlements have an important role to play across the 17-goal spectrum of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The New Urban Agenda has mapped out the direction and development goals for cities in next 20 years. Cities must transform from the sprawling and quantity-led development to the high-efficient, quality-oriented growth in an innovative way.
2018 is the crucial year for implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda. Based on this global consensus and specific situation in Asia Pacific Region, the Global Forum on Human Settlements 2018 will be convened on October 30-31 at the UN Conference Center in the City of Bangkok, Thailand, themed as “Advance Urban Innovations towards Achieving SDGs11 and New Urban Agenda”.
GFHS 2018 will focus on the relevant priorities for further promoting sustainable cities and human settlements for all and facilitating the transformation of cities from quantitative growth to high-quality development by ways of innovation. GFHS 2018 also serves as an observance of the “World Cities Day 2018”, senior officials from the UN, high-level officials from Thailand and other national governments, leading city mayors, famous professionals will attend the events and deliver speeches.
Objectives
GFHS 2018 is committed to creating a global platform for high-level dialogues, sharing innovative policies, standards, strategies, technology and successful experiences, enhancing capacity building, fostering new partnerships and facilitating effective actions, and promoting cooperation and the green development in the context of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Co-organizers:
Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS)
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP)
In Collaboration with:
United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat)
United Nations Environment Programme (UN Environment)
Global One Belt One Road Association (GOBA)
Better City Institute (BCI)
Main topics
GFHS 2018 will address and tackle the following issues:
1. International Green Model City Initiative
2. Resilient and circular economy
3. Financing for sustainable urban infrastructure
4. Commercialization of Blockchain Technology and Smart Cities, etc.
Activities
The 2-day events will consist of opening ceremony, keynote speech, mayors panel, parallel sessions, recommendations and summaries, closed consultation for financing and cooperation, reception and SCASHA Ceremony. etc. Simultaneous translation (English and Chinese) will provided for main sessions.
Sustainable Cities And Human Settlements Awards 2018 (SCAHSA 2018)
“Sustainable Cities And Human Settlements Awards Ceremony 2018” will be ceremoniously hosted as a highlight of GFHS 2018. SCAHSA is a worldwide prize annually awarded by Global Forum on Human Settlements (GFHS) and supported by renowned international organizations including UN Environment, and it is focused on promoting the implementation of 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, notably goal 11, recognizing awardees and recommending their prominent progress and valuable experience over the course of becoming more sustainable. The categories of SCAHSA includes cities, buildings, planning and design, tourism, technology, transportation and individual.
Targeted Participants
GFHS 2018 is planned to convene more than 500 participants, including all relevant stakeholders, such as decision makers from national governments, city mayors and officials, senior officials from the UN and other international organizations, professionals, business leaders, investors, high-level representatives from the sector of planning and design, transportation, architecture, energy, tourism, real estate development, and environmental protection, and women and children representatives.