UN-Habitat
The calendar is turning its final pages and Our City Plans stands at the threshold of reflection and celebration.
The year 2023 has been a chapter etched with fervent dedication, relentless advocacy, and profound progress in reshaping urban landscapes worldwide. Throughout these transformative twelve months, we have stood witness to a multitude of innovative initiatives, bold policies, and collective actions, all aimed at shaping urban landscapes that prioritise the well-being of inhabitants, while promoting environmental sustainability.
As we pen down the year-end summary, we look back at accomplishments, challenges overcome, and promising pathways forged. Yet, a pressing concern remains: the lack of data for SDG 11.3.2, vital for building sustainable cities. With just six years until the 2030 SDG global database deadline, less than 30% of countries have collected this crucial data. We have developed a user-friendly survey (link) to address this gap, taking only three minutes to complete and we ask your support in securing 8000 data points for SDG 11.3.2 in 2024. Let’s ensure our cities continue advancing toward a sustainable future.
Our City Pans is committed to nurturing communities. Whether it's through tailor-made workshops, specialised training sessions, or collaborative engagements, we are here to empower cities and regions seeking to evolve. From our first event in Spanish focusing on the Region of Latin America and the Caribbean, where we had a total audience of 352, to our methodology in-person training in Neuquen, Argentina, that engaged 100 participants from various municipalities, this year, our dedication to disseminating knowledge knew no bounds.
Our collaborations spanned Guatemala, Brazil's FIPE Foundation, and IKONE Global in Itaquaquecetuba and Jaboatão dos Guararapes, fueling transformative training and visionary exercises. Our global footprint extended to Training of Trainers (ToT) sessions and visioning exercises in Vietnam's Ben Tre and Tam Ky.
In Argentina, we developed four municipal plans (strategic development plans and land management plans) with a highly participatory approach in the province of Neuquen, customising Our City Plans methodology to very diverse contexts and needs. By December 2023, two cities had already approved the plans as legally binding documents. Throughout these diverse endeavors, we emphasised the indispensable role of collaborative and participatory processes in achieving meaningful outcomes. We eagerly invite partnerships to continue our collective growth.
Communications and our digital platform for us goes beyond mere information sharing—it's about opening meaningful dialogues with our audience and responding to their feedback. Our achievements this year include:
- Launch of our new Instagram account, garnering over 3000 interactions
- 12 newsletters with over 500 global subscribers
- More that 8000 user visits on the digital platform
- Development of activities and tools for Phase 3 and 4 and adjustments on Phase 1 and 2
- Feature highlighting Independent Initiatives on our map of planning experiences (Submit your experience here If you want to add yours!)
- Our publication is the second most downloaded resource, surpassing 14,000 downloads
As we step into the threshold of a new year, we are excited about the opportunities that lie ahead and the chance to further enhance our platform, foster deeper partnerships, and propel impactful participatory urban planning initiatives. Thank you for being part of our journey in 2023, and here's to a new year filled with innovative strides and meaningful progress towards building cities that reflect our shared vision of inclusivity and sustainability. We look forward to planning cities with you next year and wish you a 2024 more inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.