Venue: Hilton Istanbul Bosphorus
Join us on World Metropolitan Day 2023 in Istanbul, hosted by Marmara Municipalities Union in collaboration with Metropolis and UN-Habitat, to explore how nature-based solutions enhance the resilience of our metropolises.
Climate change, natural disasters, and environmental inequalities pose serious threats to the lives and livelihoods of millions of people living in metropolitan areas worldwide. What if we could use nature as a source of inspiration and innovation to solve challenges related to natural disasters and climate change?
At this year’s leading World Metropolitan Day event, "Beyond Urban: How Nature Can Transform Metropolises," mayors and metropolitan leaders from around the world will gather in Istanbul to share their visionary insights on creating greener, healthier, and more resilient metropolitan spaces.
Objectives
Promote nature-based solutions as effective and innovative ways to address urban challenges and enhance well-being.
Create a space for networking and collaboration among local, national and international leaders.
Contribute to the global efforts of building resilient, sustainable, and inclusive cities through knowledge and experience exchange and partnership development.
Confirmed participants
Issa Kassis, Mayor of Ramallah
Claudia López, Mayor of Bogotá
Yahya R. Sarraj, Mayor of Gaza
Elisenda Alamany, Vice President of International Relations and Digitalisation, Metropolitan Area of Barcelona
Hasan Aydınlık, Deputy Secretary General of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality
Balamir Gündoğdu, Secretary-General of Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality
Taufiq Zahidur Rahman, Policy and Planning Adviser to the Mayor, Dhaka North
Rafael Forero, Expert at UN-Habitat
Laura Valdés, Head of Policy at Metropolis
Jordi Vaquer, Secretary General of Metropolis
Agenda
10.00 – 10.15 Opening remarks, Claudia López, Hasan Aydınlık, Jordi Vaquer
10.20 – 11.05 Panel 1 “Global experiences and solutions for transforming metropolises,” Claudia López, Elisenda Alamany, Issa Kassis, Antonella Contin
11.10 – 11.55 Panel 2 “Governance for a resilient Metropolis,” Yahya R. Sarraj, Ana Christina Wanzeler, Taufiq Zahidur Rahman, Rafael Forero
12.00 – 12.45 Global Perspectives session, Laura Valdés
12.50 – 13.00 Wrap-up of World Metropolitan Day, Jordi Vaquer
13.00 – 13.10 Closing remarks, Cemil Arslan
Languages: English & Turkish (with simultaneous interpretation)