World Cities Day: 31 October

World Cities Day is celebrated on 31 October each year. The United Nations designated 31 October to promote the international community’s interest in addressing the challenges of global urbanization and their contribution to sustainable urban development around the world. It was established in December 2013 by the UN General Assembly to commence in 2014.

The general theme for World Cities Day is Better City, Better Life, while the specific theme for 2016 is Inclusive Cities, Shared Development to coincide with World Habitat Day. Habitat III was the United Nations conference on housing and sustainable urban development, held in Quito, Ecuador, from 17-20 October 2016.

The theme Inclusive Cities, Shared Development highlights the importance of urbanization as a source of global development and social inclusion. Urbanization provides the potential for new forms of social inclusion, equality, access to services and engagement that reflects diversity in cities.

The UN highlights inequalities that have grown in the world’s largest cities and the economic inequality closely linked with spatial inequality. This often leads to the exclusion and marginalization of groups of people, such as older persons, migrant workers, night-shift workers, children, youth, persons with disabilities, indigenous peoples, and minority groups.

However, urbanization can also represent opportunities for sustainable development for a more harmonious and inclusive society with services for all. The theme of Inclusive Cities, Shared Development embraces the actions of the UN’s New Urban Agenda, which is putting the topic of inclusive cities as one of the main pillars for an urban shift that is more focussed on issues of gender, youth, ageing, and reducing poverty.

The New Urban Agenda raises awareness through events and media on recreation, cultural, and entertainment activities to make visible issues such as the need for affordable housing, suitable play areas for children and youth, community buildings, and facilities, including libraries, playgrounds, and community art, social spaces, and events.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

Comments

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...

Shindi: the Georgian Cornelian cherry

The Cornelian cherry – shindi in Georgian – is a fruit with medicinal and decorative properties. It was grown from ancient times, according to the International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS). It is also commonly called the European cornel. It is native to southern Europe from France to Ukraine as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Iran, Turkey, Israel, Lebanon, and Syria. The Cornelian cherry tree ( Cornus mas ) can be grown in orchards, but it is often seen in the forests of Georgia where it grows up to 1,350 metres above sea level. It is a medium to large deciduous tree, growing from 5-12 metres tall. The flowers are small with four yellow petals in clusters, which flower in February and March. The Cornus mas has three botanical varieties: (1) var. typica Sanadze with cylindrical red fruits, (2) var. pyriformis Sanadze with pear-shaped red fruits, and (3) var. flava vest with yellow fruits. The fruits are oblong red drupes about 2 centimetres ...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog