The DPU contribute to the capacity building component of The Global Future Cities Programme

The Global Future Cities Programme (GFCP) is a specific component of the Prosperity Fund, which aims to carry out technical assistance for a set of targeted interventions to encourage sustainable development and increase prosperity while alleviating high levels of urban poverty, in particular based on three thematic pillars: urban planning, transport and resilience. The Programme will also create significant short and long-term business opportunities in growing markets.

The DPU contributed to the input on inclusive planning to the 19 cities that participate on the programme and more than 250 attendees.  DPU’s Barbara Lipietz and Catalina Ortiz delivered a presentation titled ‘Inclusive Prosperity: from urban projects to strategic spatial planning systems’ in which they reframed the notion of inclusive planning.

They made the case for why inclusive planning, stating that is necessary to foster stable, safe and just societies where everyone has equal rights and access to services, can grow and contribute to society to the fullest of their potential. Furthermore, they argued that failure to achieve social integration is likely to lead to social fragmentation, increase disparities and inequalities within societies and thus to undermine the social cohesion which is so much needed for avoiding conflict and promote cooperation. 

Through the presentation of a number of case studies, they concluded that by seeing projects as catalysts, the territorial impact of project interventions towards prosperity and the implementation of the SDGs requires an integrated and inclusive planning lens – where inclusive planning is recognised as a multi-dimensional process.