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THE WORLD URBAN FORUM Secretariat to the Governing Council, External Relations and Inter-Agency Affairs

Establishment of the World Urban Forum The World Urban Forum was established by Resolution 18/5 in 2001 when the then Commission on Human Settlements requested the Executive Director UN-Habitat to promote a merger of the Urban Environment Forum and the International Forum on Urban Poverty into a new Urban Forum. 3 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

Functions of the Forum The World Urban Forum is inter-sessional Forum which meets biennially in the years that the Governing Council does not meet. It is essentially a Forum of Partners at which experts and practitioners meet to exchange experience and advance collective knowledge among cities and their development partners. The Forum is not a formal inter-governmental meeting governed by rules and regulations as does the Governing Council It is an advisory body to the Executive Director of UN-HABITAT on international cooperation in shelter and urban development. 4 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

Participants at the Forum All Member States Local Authorities Intergovernmental Organizations Non-Governmental Organizations International Organizations Community Groups Urban Professionals Business and Private Sector Academics and Students National And International Associations 5 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

Activities at the Forum Best Practices Awards Plenary Sessions Dialogues Networking Events Debates Roundtables (of specialized partner groups) Caucus Meetings Exhibitions Book Launches Cultural Events 6 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

Sessions of the Forum -1 1.Nairobi – 2001 (2000pp) Sustainable Urbanization 2.Barcelona – 2004 (4400pp) Cities: Crossroads of Cultures, inclusiveness and integration? 3.Vancouver – 2006 (10000+pp – 100 countries) Sustainable Cities: Turning Ideas into Action 4.Nanjing ( 8000pp – 146 countries ) Harmonious Urbanization 5.Rio de Janeiro THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

Sessions of the Forum -2 8 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

A Platform for Enriching Habitat Agenda During to the interactions between partners at different events of the Forum, emerging trends are identified, lessons learnt and policy options are proposed especially at the roundtables of decision- makers – ministers, parliamentarians, and mayors. By engaging its partners in dialogues, roundtables and networking events, UN-Habitat develops mutually beneficial synergies, including with development agencies, international finance institutions and other UN agencies, in the implementation of the Habitat Agenda. The increasing participation of Governments and Habitat partners from all regions, indicates that the Forum has indeed become an important platform for strengthening networks between policymakers, local government leaders, on-government stakeholders and expert practitioners in the field of human settlements THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat 9

A Campaign and Advocacy Tool Diversity of partners that attend The number of countries that are represented: from 100 in WUF3 to 146 in WUF4 Rotation from region to region The level of interest and resources invested by the host countries The range of practical applications and field practices displayed at the Forum by hundreds of partners All point to the potential of the Forum as a strong campaign and advocacy tool for sustainable urbanization – the objective of Draft Res. 22/2 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat 10

The World Urban Forum Unit Established by GC Resolution 21/1 para 71. To provide organizational and substantive support to all programmes in preparations for the World Urban Forum. Provides support to the governing bodies and other major global and regional conferences Set up with two Professional Posts (one P-5 Coordinator and one P-3 Human Settlements Officer, and two General Service posts, one Logistics Assistant and one Administrative Assistant). 11 THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

12 THE WUF UNIT IN THE ORGANOGRAM OF UN-HABITAT Executive Director ODED WUF Unit Directors on WUF PSDM&E GDMRD HSFD RTCD OED ISSLOsGC Sec THE WORLD URBAN FORUM, 18 March New Permanent Representatives to UN-Habitat

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