Towards future cities, putting quality of life and peoples wellbeing at the core of urban planning

The event will present how the notions of wellbeing and quality of life are at the core of development agendas and how the enhancement of people's quality of life can be integrated in urban planning and strategic foresight to enhance cities' resilience. The Quality of Life Center and the International Society for Quality of Life Studies are centers of excellence on the matters related to enhancing people's quality of life and wellbeing. UN-Habitat is a strategic UN partner that brings insight into the on-goings of urban spaces, particularly as they relate to SDGs. The Arab Urban Institute brings a localized lens on urban planning as it relates to quality of life at the city level and offers an opportunity to hear on urban policies and initiatives from various cities. The panelists will highlight how integrating the notions of quality of life and wellbeing enhances participatory planning and inclusive governance at the local level, while enabling decision makers to design more targeted policies. The introduction of subjective indicators and the efforts towards the production of disaggregated data will support the identification of key trends within specific groups, enabling tailor-made action – for youth, elderly, women, vulnerable socio-economic groups, displaced populations, etc. The panel will also reflect on how to better consider both people's wellbeing and historical urban context in smart city projects, to support the development of human-centered smart cities.