UN-Habitat’s 12th session of the World Urban Forum wrapped up at the end of last week. A standard practice at the end of these kinds of conferences is the crafting and release of a summary statement which includes a “Call
Well, I’m very excited that UN-Habitat’s 12th convening of the World Urban Forum is just a few days away. WUF is the world’s premier conference on sustainable urbanization. This year – for the first time – there is a Faith
UN-Habitat recently released a new resource to help you facilitate multi-level urban forums. Urban Forums are critical and inclusive platforms to domesticate and localize global agendas and to advance evidence-based policymaking and review, as well as communicating policy outcomes and
If you follow my blog at all, then you know that I am passionate about helping realize the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I often say that the 17 SDGs are as audacious as they are beautiful and are a
In response to the ongoing and rapid biotech innovation and evolution, with its corresponding impact on the our planet and its climate, the UN-Environment Programme (UNEP) felt prompted to make a series of very helpful governing recommendations to its 193
As you may know at the end of 2023 the world observed the 75th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This bold and beautiful series of 30 articles, is a milestone document in the history of human rights.
Speakers: James Bhagwan, Julia Rensburg, Tara van Ryneveld. Remove: Episcopal Nana Firman & Meryne Warah, H.E. President Wavel Ramkalawa Islamic Dev Bank/Islamic Solidarity Fund, Phoebe Chatfield Faiths for a Just Transition: Bottom up & Systemic Approaches from Affected Communities 🌍
While I wasn’t able to attend COP28 in person, it’s been so great to the reports from my multi-faith colleagues about the remarkable advancement in the active participation of world’s faiths, religions, and spiritualities in the conversation. 84-85% of the
On the Significance of Religion for the SDGs: An Introduction, by Dr Christine Schliesser, is part of Routledge’s “Religion Matters” series. And it is available for free as an eBook on Amazon. I’m not sure whether this is permanently free
UN-Habitat, World Urban Forum 12 (WUF12), will be assembling around this time next year… November 4-8, 2024. Mark your calendar and begin making plans. I am hoping to convene – or co-convene – two gatherings in Cairo, Egypt to coincide
For a number of years now, UN-Habitat has been earmarking the month of October as “Urban October.” Our goal is to draw humanity’s attention our cities in order foster conversation, engagement, and movement toward a better urban future for all
Here are links to three very helpful UN-Habitat reports reflecting back on 2022. My apologies for not posting these sooner, but here they are: Peace, dwight
UN-Habitat goes Local… putting SDGs in their rightful Place “Part of loving loving neighbor as oneself involves loving and serving one’s place, its peoples, & systems sustaining shared life.” – dwight j. friesen “My Neighbourhood” ‘MY Neighbourhood’ provides an extensive
As of today, eight billion humans are living on planet Earth. A huge milestone officially projected for and being recognized today by the U.N. It was 1974 that the world population first hit 4 billion people. It took from the
At the beginning of Urban October I participated in the fourth convening of the Urban Economy Forum. The UEF4 event was held in Toronto, Canada, but the organizers made it possible for some of us to present via Zoom. Below
Today begins the month long celebration and exploration of all things “city” thanks to UN-Habitat’s “Urban October.” This year’s theme is: Mind the Gap: Leave No One & No Place Behind! What are the gaps in your parish or neighborhood? What
The fourth convening of the Urban Economy Forum is less than two weeks away. You still have time to register! I will be participating in a roundtable exploring urban policy and public services, our theme is, “Inclusive Urban Finance.” You
In October I will have the privilege and responsibility to offer a neighborhood-rooted, grassroots-parish, faith-based, gift-economy perspective, that is so vital to the ongoing conversation about sustainable urban economics. The City of Toronto is hosting (in-person & on-line) the fourth
Every two years UN-Habitat releases a major report regarding the World’s Cities. The latest report was just released during WUF11 in Katowice, Poland last week… I even got to be there for the press release. This year’s report, titled: “Envisaging
This Friday I am on my way to Katowice Poland to participate in the United Nations Habitat’s eleventh convening of the World Urban Forum. So I thought I’d offer a bit of an explanation of what I will be doing…
Currently we have surpassed 100,000,000 refugees on our planet. That’s more than 100 million people just like you and me, who have had to make the terrible decision to flee the place they love, their home, and what they know
Recovering or relearning how to live in harmony with creation is vital to our survival. I call on all people of faith to search their sacred texts for examples of, teachings about, or practices for living in harmony with the
Since its creation, United Nations Habitat has been striving to put practical tools in the hands of local people and communities to equip them with the needed information, inspiration, and ideas to mobilize grassroots people to bring about real change
The 2021 annual report of UN-Habitat was recently released, so I’ve posted a link to the PDF below. The UN-Habitat website states: In 2021, conflict, pandemic and climate emergencies continued to shape the challenges faced by human settlements. UN-Habitat was
I’m a City Changer is a worldwide campaign with the aim of sensitizing and creating awareness among citizens on urban issues to achieve better cities. It is promoted by UN-Habitat, the city agency of the United Nations, through the World
Did you happen to catch the latest public awareness AD about climate change made by the United Nations. It is worth checking out. The UN has many very helpful resources for learning more or finding actionable practices postures for making
We have one month to get ready for the UN-Habitat’s Urban October. UN-Habitat is engaging people and groups from all over the world to think about where they live and how they live where they live, with an eye to
Earlier this week the sixth assessment report (AR6) by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It is a well researched and carefully documented report coming in at nearly 4,000 pages. While I haven’t finished reading the full report yet,
The New Urban Agenda Illustrated handbook (at the bottom of this post) serves as the base for the New Urban Agenda online crash course. This course is offered through the United Nations Habitat. The self-paced course in two parts is available
UN-Habitat released its World Cities Report 2020 at the end of October. These reports inform the vital work of the Urban Shalom Society in our ecumenical and multi-faith collaboration toward activating our cities to plan for a more sustainable future
