Imagine a world where cities truly belong to the people who live in them, where urban expansion is guided by data, not guesswork, and where every citizen, from a street vendor in Nairobi to a student in São Paulo, has a voice in shaping their city’s future. This is the world we move toward if we save SDG 11.3.2, the global indicator that measures the extent to which urban planning includes public participation.
If 2024 were a city, it would be buzzing with the energy of possibility, streets everywhere coming to life with collaboration, creativity, and bold ideas. At the heart of it all was Our City Plans, that turned visions of inclusive and participatory urban planning into tangible actions that resonated across borders. The results achieved held testament to our purpose, Our City Plans is not just about planning cities, but about empowering people to shape the spaces they call home.
The 12th session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) in Cairo served as a global stage for groundbreaking discussions on inclusive and sustainable urban development. Among the highlights was Our City Plans, which played a central role in multiple events, showcasing its transformative potential to encourage enhance inclusive urban planning, localize the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda.
Cities are increasingly recognized as hubs where culture, art, and design can drive inclusive and sustainable urban growth. The New Urban Agenda emphasizes the need for urban areas to promote social cohesion, resilience, and livability by embedding these elements into planning and governance processes.
Culture as a Catalyst for Inclusion
UN-Habitat is thrilled to announce the winners of the My Urban Vision digital art competition, a global initiative aimed at inspiring and engaging young creatives in envisioning the cities of the future.
Youth are more than just voices of the future, they are key players in today’s urban development.
The Our City Plans initiative recognizes this and places youth at the forefront of sustainable urban development. But how can young changemakers and youth-led organizations harness this power to make a real impact? The answer lies in the Our City Plans toolbox, a dynamic resource designed to empower young leaders to take the reins of their communities' futures.