Dialogues

Dialogues are high-profile events, which will take place at WUF and which set the agenda for policy and action. They provide a platform for global thinkers, practitioners and decision-makers to share insights and solutions on themes of global importance and include active discussion with the audience.

Discussions collect key reflections on the status of and way forward for the implementation of the New Urban Agenda to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Background Paper It All Starts Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities

Each dialogue serves as a crucial lens through which to view connections between the concept of “home” and the multifaceted challenges and opportunities entailed in localization. WUF12 will foster conversations in multiple formats, such as roundtables, assemblies, special sessions, etc., which will create diverse entry points for considering the role of all urban actors, including grass roots, civil society, private sector, academia, all levels of government and international organizations, among many more.

The WUF12 theme “It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities” is supported by six dialogues, each of which explores a different dimension of the theme.

The dialogues will structure WUF12 events and serve as conceptual anchors for activities and discussions. They are curated by UN-Habitat and facilitated by global thought leaders and experts.

WUF12 Dialogues

DIALOGUE 1

Housing our future

Opens with one of the most important challenges for cities and communities: adequate housing. This dialogue explores solutions to the decades-long and ever-growing housing crisis and rising inequalities that spur from it, including opportunities for a renewed social contract.

DIALOGUE 2

Cities and the climate crisis

Addresses the pressing challenge of climate change and cities, emphasizing the importance of localized adaptation, mitigation and resilience in ensuring that urban areas can thrive in a future with unprecedented climatic conditions.

DIALOGUE 3

Stronger together

Shifts focus to strategies essential for partnerships to bridge global goals with local realities, highlighting the power of collaboration in driving localized progress.

DIALOGUE 4

Financing localization and localizing finance

Explores the importance of financial empowerment, examining mechanisms to ensure that resources are readily accessible at the local level to fuel sustainable development and localization.

DIALOGUE 5

Putting people first in a digital era

Ventures into the sphere of digital technology and innovation, and its potential to drive localized solutions and promote inclusive development, while noting the risks posed to cities and communities.

DIALOGUE 6

The loss of home

Invites reflections on the meaning of “home” amid urban crises, examining how urban stakeholders, communities and authorities respond to turmoil.