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

2016 update on Rike Park, Tbilisi: from construction to busy park

From a flat patch of uninteresting dirt, Rike Park in Tbilisi, Georgia, has transformed in four years (from 2014-2016) into a busy park full of trees, flower beds, sculptures, fountains, and events. Rike (Rikhe) Park is on the left bank of the Mt’k’vari River (the Kura River) near the Old City of Tbilisi. The Peace Bridge links the right bank to Rike Park. Rike Park is below the hillside Presidential Palace and, via cable car, it is the starting point for the ride to Sololaki Ridge (with the Narikala Fortress and the Mother of Georgia statue). The glass box-shaped cable car terminus was opened on 23 June 2012, and since then the park has continually developed into a ‘people’s park’ where people can walk around, eat at the nearby restaurants, sit next to the statue of American president Ronald Reagan, climb the steps to Avlabari district, and access the sights of Meidan Square, the Peace Bridge, the Metekhi Church, the Old City, the waterfall, the sulphur baths, and t...

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...

Hop on hop off bus tourism comes to Tbilisi, Georgia

City Sightseeing buses have arrived in Tbilisi. The iconic red double-decker buses, a feature of many cities around the world since the company was established in Seville, Spain in 1999, is now in six continents and almost 100 cities. The company established its Tbilisi business in November 2013, with its operations commencing in February 2014. The 90-minute tour stops at 11 major locations in Tbilisi (with 2 to 5 minute waiting times at each location): the Old City (where it commences), Freedom Square, Rose Revolution Square, Marjanishvili Square, the Dry Bridge, Konka, Avlabari, Metekhi, Akhundov Museum, the Sulfur Baths, and European Square. Passengers can hop off at any stop and see the sights, hopping back onto the next bus at any time. Alternatively, passengers can remain on the bus for the whole tour and take photographs when the bus stops at each location. There are one day (24-hour) passes (for 35 lari – about $20) and 48-hour passes for 55 lari, with family d...

FEAST OR FAMINE

Search This Blog