S²Cities at the World Urban Forum 2024

The World Urban Forum is the premier global conference on sustainable urbanisation and cities, convened by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat). The Twelfth Session of the World Urban Forum WUF12, took place in Cairo, Egypt, from 4 to 8 November 2024.

WUF12 focused on localizing the Sustainable Development Goals, shedding light on the local actions and initiatives required to curb the current global challenges affecting the daily life of people, including unaffordable housing, rising living costs, climate change, the lack of basic services, and ongoing conflicts.

S²Cities Engagement at WUF12

S²Cities attended WUF12 with a large delegation comprising of 14 youth representatives from its six programme cities, alongside government officials and global and local implementation partners. The S²Cities’ presence at WUF12 not only highlighted the potential of young leaders but also showcased real-world impacts, setting a bold example for inclusive, sustainable urban development on the global stage.

S²Cities representatives shared learnings and insights from Phase I of the programme (2019-2024) implemented in Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, and the Philippines, at the Child and Youth Roundtable, and sessions at Voices from Cities, Networking Events, ONE UN, and a Special Session. They highlighted strategies for building trust, empowering youth in urban decision-making, and developing policy frameworks for inclusive public spaces. S²Cities also showcased the use of digital tools for youth leadership and urban well-being, emphasised the impact of community participation in creating safer public spaces, and featured innovations such as resilient urban food and water systems led by young changemakers.

S²Cities partners and young people spoke at the following formal sessions about empowering youth and shaping the future of our urban environments. Recordings of certain sessions are available on UN Web TV.