Creativity and Innovation for a Better Urban Future

on Occasion of World Creativity and Innovation Day
April 21, 2021, 10:00am – 12:30am EST

Toronto, Canada April 21 - Urban Economy Forum, in collaboration with UN-Habitat, ISOCARP, Commonwealth Association of Planners, World Architecture Community and 2A Magazine organized the session, Creativity for Urban Future, hosted by Urban + Future as a virtual launch. The event was held on occasion of the World Creativity and Innovation Day.

This session facilitated global dialogue between city leaders, developers, urban planners, academic, and urban activists and discussed how creativity and innovation contributes to building sustainable models of urbanisation. 

The event was opened by Mitchell Cohen, President of The Daniels Corporation, who celebrated the day, stating “[World Creativity and Innovation Day is] a day that celebrates thinking outside the box, the day to imagine that there is no box at all or no constraints but an open road to travel, to create and innovate. This has been fundamental to the remarkable transformation of the Regent Park". Regent Park is a downtown neighbourhood that has undergone an inclusive urban revitalization process over the past decade.

A video message from Adam Vaughan, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development (Housing) followed. Vaughan spoke to the power of cities, stating “they are the best places and most likely places to find a solution to the biggest challenges that we are facing as a species."

Reza Pourvaziry, Chair of Urban Economy Forum and host of this session said, "We hope to have a great creative exchange of innovations. Creativity is the core method to explore solutions to urban challenges.” He said, “The creativity perspective helps to talk and rethink about following four key items: concepts, resources, process and actions.”

Eduardo Moreno, Head of Knowledge and Innovation of UN-Habitat, stated “Urbanization is an unstoppable process and cities will be the trajectory of sustainability and growth. Creativity and cultural space play a fundamental role during the pandemic.”

Frank D’hondt, Secretary General, ISOCARP, shared that ISOCARP and its knowledge institute always embraced creativity and innovation as part of the solution in vision and practice. We did this with our partners Urban Economy Forum, UN-Habitat and Commonwealth Association of Planners. ISOCARP is getting ready for their next conference in Doha, 57th World Planning Conference.

Massoud Ghandchi, Co-Director of Urban + Future, said “The current state of the world has shown that we need to make changes to our lifestyles. We should bridge the current gaps in the housing industry by using all the technological opportunities that are available for sustainable housing.” 

Matti Siemiatycki, Associate Professor of Geography and Planning & Interim Director of School of Cities, University of Toronto, “We are in the midst of 3 intersecting crises; climate change, systemic racism and the pandemic. I think in this context, we need to be thinking about what creativity and innovation can do.”

Michael Brooks, CEO, REALPAC, said “The UN SDGs, is our North Star for innovative and creative solutions, affordable housing, sustainability, and climate change. I am focused on bridging the gap between net zero without offsets, we need to have clean energy grids and reduce carbon emissions.”

Nader Ardalan, Associate Professor at Harvard University, said “we think that an emphasis on creating as people matter and equal to the quantitative aspects of building new societies is necessary for sustainable development.”

Youth were discussed as important leaders for creativity and innovation. In this regard the session was delighted to have Sam Chigini, Independent Filmmaker & Founder and CEO, Sam Pictures Productions, share his Music Video on Aqualung, a Jethro Tull album that was released in March 1971. This reminded participants of the cry for social justice that happened 50 years ago that continues to this day. 

UEF was gratefully for all speakers participation, including Eleanor, Mohammed, President, Commonwealth Association of Planners; Kamran Hassani, Co-Director of Urban + Future; Ken Greenberg, Architect and Principal of Greenberg Consultants; Camilla Ween, Director at Goldstein Ween Architects & Harvard Loeb Fellow; Jose Etcheverry, Member of the Board of Governors, York University; Gerrison “Wonderkid” Lumumba, Mathare Empire; Yvonne Yeung, Manager, Urban Design, City of Brampton; Sriram Natarajan, Expert, Food Security; Marissa Kokkoros, Executive Director and Founder, Aura Freedom International; Sean Toussi, Principal Architect, M.Arch. & Forbes Magazine Council Member.

UEF also appreciates the volunteers who helped make this event happen Deqa Nur and Dorsa Sabouri Dodran. As well the event's poster presenter Hamidreza Shojaee.

The session was moderated by Anantha Krishnan, Secretary General, UEF, and Douglas Ragan, Programme Management Officer, UN-Habitat & Alex Venuto, City Leader Platform Secretariat, UEF.

This session was part of Urban Economy Forum 2021, which will be held on October 4 & 5. You can find additional information about Urban Economy Forum on their website: https://www.ueforum.org