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from left to right : Yasmin Al RASHEDI, Robin ATTWATER (Abu Dhabi), Jan GERBITZ (Hamburg), Nicholas YOU (Chair), Beverly PINDER MORTIMER, Yvonne LYNCH (Melbourn), Ambassador CHUNG (Korea). Guangzhou, the third Chinese megalopolis, capital of Guangdong, became, for the second time,at the end of November, the world capital of the diffusion of urban exemplarity. The second edition of the International Award for Urban Innovation created by the city itself, in connection with Metropolis and UCLG and driven by Nicholas YOU, founder of the award, was, in fact, held in the vibrant metropolis of the Pearl River, China southern gateway located not far from Hong Kong and Macao. She put five finalists in the running after the review, late September, of 209 cases by a technical committee of international experts
During the final selection of 27 November 2014, mayors and project managers came to present their innovations to an audience mainly composed of elected officials, around four themes: the action of local authorities to the crisis, adapting and mitigating to climate change, changing minds for a change of the city and ways to empower actors.
The second series of the presentations, moderated by Anne-Marie CHAVANON, president of the committee, dealt with first order issues with the approach of the COP 21 to be held in Paris in December 2015. It brought together indeed Abu Dhabi, Gwangju, Hamburg and Melbourne with very different answers to three shared issues: how to save energy? How to reduce greenhouse gases? How to lower the temperature in dense urban areas?
Each project embodies the founding criteria of the Urban Innovation Award, including the pursuit of sustainable development through an integrated ecosystem approach, an absolute priority to social cohesion and well-being of citizens, the generation of a courageous participatory and innovative governance.
The most enlightening lessons of these projects concern the management team of public and private actors, the quality of the training provided as early as possible to a commitment of the communities, based on transparency of communication. Each offered a vision over a period of twenty to a hundred years, always accompanied by actions carried out by a strong political will.
Obviously, the number and quality of applications submitted, the presentation of the fifteen finalists and the selection of award winners (Antioquia, Bristol, Christchurch, Dakar and Hangzhou) showed that the price of Guangzhou had achieved its objectives: mobilizing five continents, making these editions a place of exchange and learning that goes beyond the recognition of good practice.
It shows the relevance of participatory democracy priority promoted by the Conference of INGOs code of good practice, the involvement of our committee various working groups and CEMAT chart on territorial democracy.
We all wish this award the development it deserves to stimulate innovation and provide vital answers to the challenges of the cities of the future!
During the final selection of 27 November 2014, mayors and project managers came to present their innovations to an audience mainly composed of elected officials, around four themes: the action of local authorities to the crisis, adapting and mitigating to climate change, changing minds for a change of the city and ways to empower actors.
The second series of the presentations, moderated by Anne-Marie CHAVANON, president of the committee, dealt with first order issues with the approach of the COP 21 to be held in Paris in December 2015. It brought together indeed Abu Dhabi, Gwangju, Hamburg and Melbourne with very different answers to three shared issues: how to save energy? How to reduce greenhouse gases? How to lower the temperature in dense urban areas?
Each project embodies the founding criteria of the Urban Innovation Award, including the pursuit of sustainable development through an integrated ecosystem approach, an absolute priority to social cohesion and well-being of citizens, the generation of a courageous participatory and innovative governance.
The most enlightening lessons of these projects concern the management team of public and private actors, the quality of the training provided as early as possible to a commitment of the communities, based on transparency of communication. Each offered a vision over a period of twenty to a hundred years, always accompanied by actions carried out by a strong political will.
Obviously, the number and quality of applications submitted, the presentation of the fifteen finalists and the selection of award winners (Antioquia, Bristol, Christchurch, Dakar and Hangzhou) showed that the price of Guangzhou had achieved its objectives: mobilizing five continents, making these editions a place of exchange and learning that goes beyond the recognition of good practice.
It shows the relevance of participatory democracy priority promoted by the Conference of INGOs code of good practice, the involvement of our committee various working groups and CEMAT chart on territorial democracy.
We all wish this award the development it deserves to stimulate innovation and provide vital answers to the challenges of the cities of the future!
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