Leveraging diversity and culture, shaping the cities for all

This session aims to enhance the understanding on how a city’s culture and diversity can be leveraged to better contribute to integration and create cities for all and shared by all. The objectives include:

• Take stock of recent trends and good practices that could be promoted in a global campaign “Housing at the Centre: Diverse cities, cities for all”.
• Advance discussions with organizations and stakeholders on a joint programme on access to housing, diversity and culture in cities.

As spaces of agglomeration and intersection, cities are often at the centre of debates on culture and diversity. Diversity, much like sustainability and resilience have become the top- trending buzz words that appear in cities’ self-representations and development plans. Equally important, the adoption of policies that promote cultural expression, the protection of heritage, including intangible heritage, and the development of creative industries are key ways to contribute to social cohesion, capitalise on diversity, provide livelihoods, and empower local communities.

The New Urban Agenda promotes culture and respect for diversity and equality as key elements in the humanization of our cities. In its paragraph 10, the New Urban Agenda acknowledges that culture and cultural diversity are sources of enrichment for humankind and provide an important contribution to the sustainable development of cities, human settlements and citizens, empowering them to play an active and unique role in development initiatives. The New Urban Agenda further acknowledges that ensuring equal rights and opportunities, socioeconomic and cultural diversity, and integration in the urban space are important conditions to guarantee that no one will be left behind.

The special session will discuss how a city’s culture and diversity can be leveraged to better contribute to integration and create cities for all and shared by all. The contributors will explore the socioeconomic and cultural mechanisms that can encourage inclusiveness in the world’s cities, seeking approaches that view diversity as an asset rather than a threat.

Q1: What are the key factors contributing to diversity in cities?

Q2: How a city’s culture and diversity can be leveraged to better contribute to integration and create cities for all and shared by all?

Q3: What are the socioeconomic and cultural mechanisms that can encourage inclusiveness in the world’s cities?

Q4: What are the challenges to achieve diverse and culture-rich cities? To reap the benefits of urban diversity, decision makers must understand the challenges and know how to effectively deal with them.