The twelfth World Urban Forum (WUF12) conference on sustainable urbanization is to be held in Cairo from November 4 to 8. Representatives of national, regional, and local authorities, academics, entrepreneurs, community leaders, urban planners, and civil society representatives traveled from all over the world to attend. We are proud to have been invited to participate in this large-scale event.
Valeriia Vershynina, Executive Director of the Foundation, was the guest speaker from Ukraine. In her speech, Valeriia described the phenomenon of internal displacement in Ukraine, which must be factored into the development of sustainable and effective solutions for urbanization. She shared relevant statistics that emphasize the dynamics of the problem and outlined aspects of IDP integration that are still unexplored. Drawing on this, Valeriia argued the importance of IDP Councils as a key tool for empowering communities and driving change.
“At the forum, I spoke about my own experience of losing my home and how different this experience is for many Ukrainians, about finding mechanisms for integration and adaptation to life during the war, a life in which not all forced migrants will be able to own a home again. It is about the work of IDP Councils and their incredible example of resilience and perseverance in changing life in their communities for the better and about the need for support for Ukraine. I really hope that IDP Councils will receive the support and recognition they deserve.
Participation in the World Urban Forum is a unique opportunity both to share our experience of working with internally displaced persons and to learn how other countries respond to similar challenges. It inspires us to find new approaches to integrate IDPs into communities and strengthen their voice in decision-making. The Forum has become a platform for me to exchange ideas that can change the lives of many people, but also a painful reminder of our losses and the price we have to pay for our survival and safety,” said Valeriia Vershynyna.
About the conference: The World Urban Forum was established in 2001 by the United Nations to explore one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization and its impact on communities, cities, economies, climate change, and politics. The first WUF was held in Kenya in 2002 and has since been held around the world. Thousands of people are expected to attend WUF12 in 2024. The event is organized by the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt.