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WEF puts focus on cities with new innovation centre and public-private collaborations
The new centre has selected three diverse metropolitan areas in the US to participate in a series of City Strategy Dialogues designed to help jumpstart new public-private collaboration.
The World Economic Forum (WEF) has released details of a series of new partnerships and events aimed at mobilising support for more sustainable and inclusive cities.
This work, which spans four continents, is part of the forum’s new global Centre for Urban Transformation in Detroit and a recognition of the critical role that cities play in addressing global challenges such as climate change and increasing inequality.
Public-private collaboration
The new centre has selected three diverse metropolitan areas in the US to participate in a series of City Strategy Dialogues designed to help jumpstart new public-private collaboration. These will commence in early 2022.
Participating local governments include a coalition of four South Florida local governments (Miami-Dade County, Broward County, Monroe County and the City of Miami); Denver, Colorado; and Detroit, Michigan.
Organised by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the City Strategy Dialogues pair mayors and senior city leaders with global experts and business leaders to help forge new approaches to pressing urban challenges where cross-sector collaboration is essential.
“The question we must ask ourselves is not when we will economically recover from this pandemic. The recovery is underway. The question is: how we will prioritise those hit hardest by the pandemic: women, youth, low-income earners, and people of colour,” said Michael Hancock, mayor of Denver.
“Government cannot and should not lead this effort alone, rather it is essential that we work together with the business community and other stakeholders to transform our cities into models of equity and inclusion that are sustainable for years and even decades to come.”
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Detroit will also pilot a new Urban Transformation Fellowship programme aimed at supporting the next generation of urban leaders and connecting local initiatives to expertise from the World Economic Forum’s global network of leading companies, governments, civil society organisations and academic institutions.
Local fellows from Detroit will have the opportunity to work as part of a diverse global team shaping the Centre for Urban Transformation’s work while also receiving access to year-round professional development opportunities.
“It is essential that we work together with the business community and other stakeholders to transform our cities into models of equity and inclusion that are sustainable for years and even decades to come”
“Our primary focus for Detroit Future City is advocating for equity in land stewardship and economic development as Detroit continues to grow and revitalise,” said Anika Goss, CEO of Detroit Future City.
“We know to do this effectively, it takes strong public-private partnerships, global and national best practices, and a commitment to fostering future leaders to be stewards of this work for years to come. Piloting the Urban Transformation Fellowship in Detroit is an important opportunity to engage our city’s remarkable emerging talent in a programme that will have lasting impact.”
Complementing these efforts, WEF is partnering with urban entrepreneurship firm Utopia to encourage, develop and promote new urban innovations and economic development opportunities in some of the fastest growing regions of the world.
Urban innovation
Eight cities in Latin America, Africa and Asia will act as global testbeds for an inaugural urban innovation challenge which launches next month: Bogota (Colombia); Buenos Aires (Argentina); Dhaka (Bangladesh); Jakarta (Indonesia); Kigali (Rwanda); Lagos (Nigeria); Nairobi (Kenya); and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).
These initiatives and others will take centre stage at the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Urban Transformation Summit on 6-8 December 2021, with both virtual sessions and in-person events, in Detroit.
The summit will bring together some 300 leaders from business, government, civil society and media to forge new partnerships, showcase innovative solutions and mobilise action in support of more sustainable and inclusive cities and urban economies.
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How can public-private partnerships enhance urban equity and inclusion?What strategies improve citizen engagement in sustainable city development?How do urban innovation challenges drive economic growth in emerging cities?What role do city strategy dialogues play in addressing climate resilience?How does the Urban Transformation Fellowship support future urban leaders?citizen engagementClimate change/ResilienceDetroitDhakadigital inclusionEconomy and financeGovernance and CitizenJakartaLagosMassachusetts Institute of TechnologyMiamiNairobiPeople and SkillsPublic-private partnershipsRio de JaneiroSmart City Expo Buenos AiresWorld Economic Forum
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