Throughout October, more than 230 events will discuss building urban resilience in the Global South. Featuring representatives from over 20 countries in Latin America and Lusophone Africa, the 2023 Urban Circuit (Circuito Urbano) will take place from October 2 to 31. The schedule is now available on the event website.
Created by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Brazil, the initiative aims to promote Urban October, a month dedicated to discussing how to improve life in cities. The expansion of the 2023 edition to new countries was made possible thanks to an unprecedented partnership between UN-Habitat and the Brazilian Cooperation Agency (ABC), part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MRE).
With a record 235 selected events, the sessions will be held in Portuguese and Spanish through in-person, virtual, and hybrid formats. The entire program is free of charge and will be broadcast on the Urban Circuit YouTube channel.
The theme of this edition is based on the premise that, to build sustainable urban development, it is essential to explore pathways that expand local governments' access to new forms of financing. These partnerships could enable public policies that stimulate economic diversification, fiscal decentralization, and the recognition of the informal sector's role in the economy as a legitimate contributor to this development.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasizes that local action and global cooperation are essential for cities to reach their potential to drive inclusive, green, and sustainable growth. "Building greater resilience and better protecting vulnerable populations requires much larger investments in sustainable infrastructure, early warning systems, and affordable, adequate housing for all. We must also work to improve access to electricity, water, sanitation, transport, and other basic services—while investing in education, skills development, digital innovation, and entrepreneurship," he stated in a message for World Habitat Day.
In this context, the Urban Circuit events will be divided into four thematic tracks: Integrated urban planning; Financing and investment; Social and economic inclusion; and Circular economy.
Program analyst and co-coordinator of the Urban Circuit, Julia Caminha, explains how the initiative will foster this discussion. "Cities need to prepare themselves to respond to crises, such as climate and economic ones, at an increasingly rapid pace. With this edition of the Urban Circuit, we want to connect people from different regions to share experiences and debate solutions that can help cities build urban resilience that is truly effective," she explains.
Meanwhile, Cecília Malaguti, who is responsible for trilateral South-South cooperation with international organizations at ABC, points out that the event is a concrete action toward achieving sustainable urban development. "Bringing together representatives from more than twenty countries in Latin America and Lusophone Africa in a single event like the Urban Circuit to discuss building urban resilience in the Global South proves that this issue is both urgent and vital for the future of cities and, consequently, of nations. ABC is proud to be part of this partnership."
Schedule
The sixth edition of the Urban Circuit will launch this Monday, October 2, at 10 a.m., celebrating World Habitat Day with the event "Resilient Urban Economies: Cities as Engines of Growth and Recovery." Held virtually with representatives from UN-Habitat, ABC, and the Ministry of Cities, the event will discuss the role of South-South cooperation in building more resilient cities.
Events organized by UN-Habitat also include Urban Friday (Sexta Urbana) on October 20, which showcases various agency initiatives exploring pathways to ensure well-planned urban interventions, and the closing ceremony celebrating World Cities Day on October 31.
Urban Circuit
Created six years ago, the Urban Circuit is UN-Habitat Brazil's main initiative to promote Urban October. The period officially begins with World Habitat Day and ends with World Cities Day.
Over five editions, the Urban Circuit has supported more than 750 events, placing Brazil at the forefront of countries celebrating Urban October. In 2022, the events garnered 25,000 views and reached around 13,000 viewers. There were 183 events with 212 moderators and 815 panelists, engaging nearly a thousand people in the discussions.
Access the 2023 Urban Circuit schedule.