Organized by UN-Habitat, the 10th World Urban Forum was held from 8 to 13 February 2020 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on the theme “Cities of Opportunity: Connecting Culture and Innovation.”

The PFVT organized the French presence on the French Pavilion. Representatives of all PFVT colleges mobilized and represented the diversity of French expertise: state and public administration, elected officials and communities, businesses, urban professionals, universities and research, associations and NGOs.

Animation of the France Pavilion

Throughout the Forum, events were held and followed on the Pavilion:

  • Discussions on various topics discussed by French and foreign actors: the job of developer, the ODDs in French policies, food, affordable housing, informality, sustainable cities in Europe, citizenship and the place of women in the city, resilience, climate or mobility;
  • Presentations of inspiring initiatives and projects: AFD’s urban incubator, USF’s Africa Sustainable City program, Bangui and Kampala workshops by Cergy Workshops, ASTON network, Lomé’s Woelab, POPSU World research program, DIVD and Urban Scene Dream presentation, Climate Chance’s climate change observatory, Climate Chance’s network.
  • A roundtable “Cross-examinations on the inclusive city: A France-UAE perspective” with the Sorbonne in Abu Dhabi was also organized with cross-examinations on the sustainable and inclusive city development between UAE and French practices.

UN-Habitat Programmes

As part of un-Habitat’s official framework, five flagship programmes were also launched during this tenth edition of the World Urban Forum:

  1. On Inclusive Communities and Territories: Inclusive, Vibrant Neighbourhoods and Communties
  2. on the Smart City and its inhabitants: People-focused smart cities
  3. On Resilience in the Poorest Neighbourhoods: Resilient Settlements for the Urban Poor
  4. Inclusive City and Urban Migration: Inclusive Cities: Enhancing the Positive Impact of Urban Migration
  5. SDG Cities: SDG Cities

Partnerships with UN-Habitat

THE FUM 10 was also an opportunity to launch various partnerships between French actors and UN-Habitat, with the signing of three MoU “Memorandum of Understanding” (partnership agreement)

  • Signing of a MoU between the AIVP (International Association of Port Cities) and UN-Habitat drawing a new framework for cooperation for sustainable port cities.
  • Signing of a MoU between the MTPA-gn (Metropolitan and Territorial Planning Agencies global network) and UN-Habitat for the development of joint projects to strengthen tools for local actors for sustainable land use, including by pooling the expertise of UN-Habitat’s urban planning agencies and urban labs.
  • Signing of a MoU between the Urban School of Sciences Po Paris and UN-Habitat to contribute to the World Cities Report and develop workshops (Capstone projects).

Note that

The film “Briançon: Living the Old Center / Living the Historical Center” won the award for Best Short Film UN-Habitat – Better cities film festival. Film directed by Rebecca Levin and CAPA, and produced by MTE and MCTRCT as part of the Urban Project and Strategies (POPSU) Project And Strategies (POPSU) research program. It offers a return of research on the revitalization of the ancient centre of Briançon and more specifically of the city Vauban, which constitutes the ancient center of the city, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.