2021 UN High Level Political Forum, Urban Cluster Parallel Event

 COVID-19 has had an enormous impact on the global community, especially cities and human settlements. For the 2021 UN High Level Political Forum, the Urban Cluster will draw attention to the need of addressing inequalities and well-being in cities that may arise from pandemics, structural racism, demographic changes and climate inaction. This is particularly relevant and urgent as we have witnessed a global COVID-19 pandemic and inequalities including racial unrest, ageism, the "shadow" pandemic of dramatic increase in domestic violence for all women and children together with growing economic disparities around the world. We will discuss our recommendations and welcome your lessons learned.   

 

Welcome & Moderator

* Margo LaZaro, President & Chair of the NGOCSD-NY, Co-Founder & CSO of the SDG Impact Awards Community, Director of UN Relations for Global Family, Convener of NGO/MG Urban Cluster, Coalition Partner of C4UNWN

Opening Address

* Oli Henman, Organizing Partner of NGO Major Group for the 2021 HLPF and the Global Coordinator of Action for Sustainable Development

Keynote Addresses

* Maitreyi Bordia Das, Practice Manager in the Urban, Resilience and Land Global Practice of the World Bank

* Helen Holden Slottje, Esq., Slottje Law, and the 2014 Goldman Environmental Prize Winner for North America

* Amrita Gautam, Civil Engineer; Doctoral Researcher at TH Koeln, Germany, President of SI Koeln Kolumba, Germany and Founder of drinkPani, Nepal

Urban Impacts

             * Ted Liebman, FAIA, Principal at Perkins Eastman, Board Member & Vice President of Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization

* Dr. Eugénie L. Birch, Co-Director of Penn Institute for Urban Research & President, General Assembly of Partners

* Mary Muia, Soroptimist International, UN Environment Rep. Nairobi, Kenya, Public Health & Social Entrepreneur

* Amanda Entrikin, Director of Global Affairs and Advocacy at Habitat for Humanity International in Washington, DC

* David Michael Terungwa, Founder and Executive Director of Global Initiative for Food Security and Ecosystem Preservation and ASPAFrique, Climate Reality Project Leader, Nigeria

* Beverly Bucur, Director of Advocacy for Soroptimist International & Advisory Board Member of South Suburban Family Shelter

* Jane Katz, Vice-Chair & Washington, DC Rep. of Global Urban Development, and Represents the General Assembly of Partners on the UN Office of Disaster Risk Reduction/Sendai Stakeholder Engagement Advisory Group                                                                                   

* Dr. Andrise Bass, BSCJ, MBA, Ph.D,  President and Founder of Humanitarian Focus Foundation, Vice President of ASPAFrique

Closing Reflections

* Aaron Etra, Chair of the UNA – USA Council of Organizations

 

C4UNWN: and the UN75 People's Declaration

* Jeffery Huffines, Senior Advisor of the Coalition for the UN We Need & Together First

Interactive Dialogue Exchange

Partners: NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, PVBLIC Foundation, NGO Major Group Urban Cluster, Coalition for the UN We Need, SDG Relief Fund, Together First, SDG Impact Awards Community, Global Family, Soroptimist International, World Federalist Movement-Canada, Humanitarian Focus Foundation, Salvation Army International Social Justice Commission, Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, COVIDxNOW, Empower-a-Billion Women-EBW, Debate for Peace, Huairou Commission, Youth for a Better World:/Montessori Model UN, Youth Impact! Forum, General Assembly of Partners, Global Family for Love & Peace, ICW, CoNGO, and UNA-USA Council of Organizations.