Events

This Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) at Columbia will address the urgency of meeting the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and how academia, the professions and civil society can help expedite action on the SDGs. How can we accelerate the SDGs along with other sustainability agendas? The aim will be to generate IDEAS FOR ACTION together, and methodologies by which each participant can bring the urgency of actions to their own networks. Academic, professional, and civil society participants are invited to join this dialogue, share experience, knowledge and critical viewpoints. Over two days, the UTC will offer TALKS, PANELS AND BREAKOUT SESSIONS to enable participants to fully and critically engage with the SDGs. We will discuss the deep transformations needed to achieve the SDGs in cities. How do the SDGs relate to New Urban Agenda or the Green New Deal? UTC Ideas for Action will be widely disseminated. The online LOCAL PROJECT GALLERY developed at the Center for Sustainable Urban Development will be launched at the UTC. On display will be innovative projects that engage with the SDGs from over 30 countries, representing education, the professions and civil society. UTC SNAPSHOT November 13, 9:15 AM - 5:30 PM [Check-in begins at 8:30 AM] Columbia SIPA, International Affairs Building, 15th floor Talks and PANELS on framing the challenge of the SDGs in Cities; accelerating the SDGs in the urban professions, governance, education, civic engagement, big data and tech. BREAKOUT led by young innovators 12.45 -2pm. LOCAL PROJECT GALLERY launch. November 14, 10:30 AM - 4:00 PM [Check-in begins at 9:45 AM] Columbia GSAPP, Avery Hall, Wood Auditorium Talks and PANELS on affordable and inclusive housing and the SDGs; competing sustainability agendas – SDGs, Green New Deal, LEED; the challenges to realizing the SDGs in US cities. We invite those in Education, the Professions and Civil Society organizations to join us. For more information, see Accelerating the SDGs. PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS Columbia University Center for Sustainable Urban Development, The Earth Institute; Graduate School of Architecture, Preservation and Planning; School of International and Public Affairs The Professions Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization; Perkins Eastman; Public Design Commission NYC Civil Society Asia Initiatives; Habitat Civil Society Working Group