Metropolitan innovative solutions, dealing with inclusion challenges of cities

The International and Cooperation Area of the Barcelona Metropolitan Area (AMB) is willing to host a networking event at the WUF11, titled ‘Metropolitan solutions, dealing with inclusion challenges of cities’. The COVID-19 pandemic and the health, economic and social crisis associated, have enhanced the existing inequalities in the metropolitan areas and cities all over the world. New social, economic and territorial challenges and vulnerabilities have arisen, threatening sustainable urban future at global level. It has also jeopardized the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as ‘1.No poverty’, ‘5.Gender equality’ and ‘10. Reduced inequalities’, among others. Although the new challenges vary across the world’s different regions and countries, providing innovative solutions to face them and transform our metropolises has become an important issue to strengthen. Metropolitan governments and administrations have launched innovative solutions in this direction. Examples from the AMB would be: the ‘ApropAMB Plan’ to support social cohesion, local economy and co-production of services after the COVID-19 Pandemic; or the AMB’s system of investment plans, where the capital city –Barcelona-, redistributes investments among the other 35 municipalities, especially those most in need. Moreover, citizen initiatives in the same direction are also emerging. The event will focus on innovative metropolitan solutions at international level, to foster inclusive and equitable metropolises. The purpose will be to present and discuss on different political and technical examples, metropolises are providing to enhance social, economic and territorial cohesion, as well as to protect social rights and provide a more inclusive, secure and equitable public space. Moreover, it will analyze strategies and actions that are being incorporated to include citizens' interests and needs into metropolitan policies and services. The event will gather political and technical representatives, stakeholders and communities from different countries, to share and discuss on innovative metropolitan examples, public policies and solutions at international level enhancing inclusion and equity. Sharing good practices among participants can facilitate knowledge sharing and transfer, moving towards more inclusive and equitable cities and metropolises, in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Five speakers are expected to be invited, to present and debate on metropolitan experiences form different geographical areas’ metropolises and perspectives. The event will include representatives from the UN-Habitat (Mr. Remy Sietchiping), Metropolis (Mr. Pascal Smet), COAMSS/OPAMSS (Ms. Yolanda Bichara), Metropolis GZM (Ms. Natalia Puchala) and the AMB (Ms. Elisenda Alamany). It will count with a moderator and a zero row, with international representatives attending WUF11 (e.g. Rashid Seedat, Director of Gauteng City-Region Observatory).