Belgium's capital will in the coming days host thousands of mayors, politicians, experts, and academics from across the world to discuss the future of European cities during the Brussels Urban Summit 2023.
The summit will take place at the foot of Mont des Arts, next to Central Station, and convenes three international city conferences to discuss urban challenges and solutions: the triannual 14th Metropolis World Congress, the Eurocities Annual Conference, and the sixth Meeting of the OECD Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth Initiative.
“For the first time ever, the three largest city networks are coming together to discuss major societal challenges and formulate urban solutions," said Pascal Smet, State Secretary of the Brussels Capital Region, for European and International Relations.
"It is only right this global city conference takes place in Brussels, a hyper international diverse metropolis and urban laboratory for innovation. The Brussels Urban Summit confirms Brussels' international status as the diplomatic capital of the world.”
Tackling growing challenges
By 2050, the United Nations estimates that two-thirds of the planet’s inhabitants will live in urban areas, making them key areas to face today's and tomorrow’s global challenges. Key challenges include climate change, as well as migration, and inequality, which Lamia Kamal-Chaoui, Director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities, said is "pulling cities apart."
"The cost-of-living crisis is piling on the pressure: when cities are unaffordable it undermines inclusive growth and jeopardises trust in our democratic values and the social contract," she said.
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Among the participants are the mayors of Paris, Ankara, Athens and Bristol, as well as architecture experts and social studies professors, all speakers will discuss and debate how cities can lead the necessary urban innovation for a greener and more inclusive future.
The event opens on Tuesday morning with a plenary session on inequality, followed by meetings and workshops during which participants from various backgrounds can share ideas. During the three-day event, guided walks will also be organised in Brussels as well as other Belgian cities, to discover urban development projects.
