20-21 June 2024

GNUF1

Tbilisi, Georgia

Spatial planning and sustainability

About

Georgian National Urban Forum (GNUF) organized by the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MOESD) and Spatial and Urban Development Agency (SUDA) supported by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) was held on June 20-21, 2024.

The first Georgian National Urban Forum involved local and international experts. Panel sessions were focused on the spatial and urban development aspects. The declared actions of GNUF will be introduced at the World Urban Forum (WUF).

Spatial and Urban Development Agency (SUDA)

GNUF was opened by Mr. Levan Davitashvili, the First Vice Prime Minister, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia. Nino Enukidze, the First Deputy Minister, Parliamentary secretary appraised ongoing situation in terms of spatial and urban planning. Mr. Ioane Menabde, the Head of Spatial and Urban Development Agency, gave a presentation on the country's spatial-territorial planning processes, existing & planned projects respectively.

The Georgian National Urban Forum aimed to open better means to achieve sustainable development goals, strengthen cooperation between specialists dealing with spatial and urban documentation, review challenges of natural environment, increase public awareness of spatial planning.

Participants of GNUF included central and regional authorities, local and international organizations, professional and academic representatives.

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Concept Note Programme

Programme

DAY 2: Thursday, 20 June 2024

08:30 - 10:30

REGISTRATION / WELCOME COFFEE

10:30 - 11:00

Exhibition inauguration

10:30 - 11:00

Welcome Speech

Levan Davitashvili, First Deputy Prime Minister of Georgia, Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development
Nino Enukidze, First Deputy Minister, Parliamentary secretary
Katja Schaefer, Inter-Regional Advisor, UN-Habitat
Ioane Menabde, Head of Spatial and Urban Development Agency (SUDA)

11:30 - 11:40

Keynote speech

Herman Pienaar, Human Settlements Officer: Lead - Urban Lab at UN-Habitat (United Nations Human Settlements Programme)

12:00 - 13:30

LUNCH BREAK/ NETWORKING

Parallel Sessions

Session 1: Role of Adequate Housing in Promoting Social, Environmental and Economic Development in Georgia (Geo/Eng) - Room E - panel discussion

13:30 - 13:35

Keynote Speech from Moderator

Katja Schaefer, UN-Habitat

13:35 - 14:30

Panel Discussion

Tamar Kurtanidze, Head of Department of Social Protection, IDPs and Labour, Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia;
Vladimer (Lado) Vardosanidze, Architect-Urbanist, a professor at the Georgian Technical University
Levan Batiashvili, Acting Chairperson, LEPL Public Private Agency of Georgia

14:30 - 14:55

Q&A

14:55 - 15:00

Closing Remarks

Session 2: Safeguarding Georgia's Cultural and Natural Heritage (Geo/Eng) - Room A - panel discussion

13:30 - 13:35

Keynote Speech from Moderator

Tamar Ketiladze, Head of UNESCO and lnternation Relations Unit, The National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation of Georgia

13:35 - 14:35

Panel Discussion

Nato Sultanishvili, Head of Planning and Development Service, LEPL Agency of Protected Areas
Lela Potskhverashvili, Deputy Director at Resorts Agency of Georgia
Teona Karchava, Head of the Protected Areas Policy Division, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

14:35 - 14:55

Q&A

14:55 - 15:00

Closing Remarks

15:00 - 15:15

COFFEE BREAK

Session 3: Enhancing Local Impact Processes and Community Resilience through SDG Localization in Georgia (Geo/Eng) - Room E - panel discussion

15:15 - 15:25

Opening segment

Katja Schaefer, lnter-regional advisor, UN-Habitat
Natia Tsikaradze, Head of Policy Planning Unit, Administration of the Government of Georgia

15:25 - 15:35

Summary of the training workshop

Claudia Ribosa, UCLG
Sami Areikat, UNDESA

15:35 - 15:45

Presentation of the Local Impact Process

Claudia Garcia Zaragoza, UN-Habitat
Xiaoqing Wang, UN-Habitat

15:45 - 16:50

Keynote Speech from Moderator

Telman Maharramov, UN-Habitat

15:50 - 16:25

Panel Discussion

Meerim Kydyralieva, Chief Specialist of the lnternational Cooperation and Protocol Department, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Mr. Abidov Dovudzhon, Head of Economic, Finance, and Forecasting Department, Dushanbe Mayor's Office.
Vakhtang Lomjaria, Head of Municipal Department of Economic Development at Tbilisi City, Georgia
Sinisa Trkulja, Spatial planner in the National Agency for Spatial Planning of the Republic of Serbia

16:15 - 16:35

Q&A

16:35 - 16:45

Closing Remarks

David Asanidze, Urban Planner

Session 4: Importance of Agglomeration Planning (Geo/Eng) - Room A - panel discussion

15:15 - 15:25

Keynote Speech from Moderator

Thomas Stellmach, TSPA - Planning as OpportunityMaja Petković, MCTI

09.15-09.30

Panel Discussion

Zurab Tsiklauri, Deputy Head of LEPL Spatial and Urban Development Agency
Merab Bolkvadze, Urbanist, Georgian Technical University
Herman Jean Pienaar, Human Settlements Officer: Lead - Urban Lab at UN-Habitat
Lidija Trpenoska Simonovik, Agency for Spatial Planning, North Macedonia
Revaz Sokhadze, Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council's Urban Planning and City Farming Commission, Tbilisi City Hall
Nino Latsabidze, Mayor, Rustavi Municipality

16:15 - 16:35