Category: Events

Presenting the New Learning Module on Resilient Cities

CUDRR+R participated at the Fourth Forum of Territorial Managers and Training Institutes in Africa to present the new UCLG – UN-Habitat- UNDRR Learning Module on Resilient Cities and Territories. The learning module authored by Ebru Gencer aims to support local governments and their associations to fulfill the localization of the Sendai Framework for DRR in order to reduce risk and sustainable and resilient communities.

The first volume of the learning module on the localization of the Sendai Framework discusses the fundamentals of resilience building and their potential integration into local and regional governments’ (LRGs’) policy cycle, providing a base framework for LRGs to understand risk and resilience, enhance risk governance, identify available finance mechanisms and opportunities, and formulate their DRR and resilience building strategies and action plans while building capacities for implementation.

The module can be downloaded at https://lnkd.in/giTXK3c

Berlin Security Conference

CUDRR+R’s Ebru Gencer was a panelist the International Rescue Committee’s (IRC) Session on Climate Change and Urban Displacement at Berlin Security Conference on September 2020. The Session moderated by IIED’s Lucy Earle focused on risks and opportunities rising from the new reality of climate change displacement. Interesting case examples included Uganda, Somalia, Kenya and Bangladesh. Ebru Gencer made a presentation on “Inclusive Planning for Climate and Social Resilience in Cities” and provided examples from CUDRR+R’s recent project in Santa Ana, El Salvador.

Making Cities Resilient Campaign Steering Committee meet to commit further to Cities’ Resilience

CUDRR+R’s Ebru Gencer attended the Annual Steering Committee Meeting of the Making Cities Resilient Campaign that took place during the Barcelona Resilience Week in the auspices of the UN-Habitat’s Urban Resilience Hub.

Since its launch in 2010, the Making Cities Resilient Campaign has been serving to support local governments and cities reduce disaster risk and build resilience towards shocks and stresses. The Campaign’s redesigned products and tools in 2017 support the implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Esra Akcan’s New Book “Open Architecture: Migration, Citizenship and the Urban Renewal of Berlin-Kreuzberg”

CUDRR+R’s Board Member, Esra Akcan has published a new book entitled Open Architecture: Migration, Citizenship and the Urban Renewal of Berlin-Kreuzberg by IBA-1984-87 (Birkhäuser, 2018).

Esra Akcan’s new book explores the implications of the concept of “open” as a common metaphor in the era of global connections, and as a foundational modern value albeit prone to contradictions. It defines open architecture as the translation of a new ethics of hospitality into design process. In particular, it exemplifies the inclinations towards open architecture (or the lack thereof) in the context of the discriminatory housing regulations of an urban renewal development in Berlin’s immigrant neighbourhood Kreuzberg. Giving voice not only to architects and policy makers, but also to residents through oral history and storytelling, the overarching theme of non-citizen rights to the city allows for a joint discussion of the history of the twentieth-century public housing, the participatory, postmodernist and post-structuralist architectural debates, and the contradictory relation between international immigration laws and housing.

Esra Akcan’s new book has received endorsements from a multitude of academics and researchers.

“Under the rubric of an Open Architecture, this book provides a substantial survey and critique of the IBA reconstruction of Berlin in the 1980’s. Akcan proceeds to incorporate into her history of Berlin’s International Building Exhibition a demonstration of the incompatibility between democracy and the professional prerogative of individual design.”
Kenneth Frampton, Professor, Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, Columbia University

“A breakthrough work that combines deep research, interviews with the inhabitants of new and renovated apartments, with an incisive architectural critique of spaces, historically, and in use. A brilliant combination. This is what architectural history should always aspire to ‐‐ a model for all future studies. ”
Anthony Vidler, Professor, The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, The Cooper Union

Please join Esra Akcan’s new book launch on June 27 at 6.30 pm at AAP NYC.

https://aap.cornell.edu/news-events/esra-akcan-open-architecture-migration-citizenship-and-urban-renewal-berlin-kreuzberg

CUDRR+R attended IPCC Cities in Edmonton, Canada

CUDRR+R’s Ebru Gencer was a panelist at IPCC Cities Science Conference in Edmonton, Canada that took place between March 5-7, 2018.

Along with other panelists from UN-Habitat, GZI, World Resources Institute, and the UN Secretary General’s office, Ebru Gencer presented the interlinkages of global frameworks and how they can translate into action for climate resilient development.

For a list of all speakers and panels, please see:

https://citiesipcc.org/programme/

CUDRR+R presents at the UN Youth Assembly 2018

CUDRR+R’s Ebru Gencer was a panelist at the UN Youth Assembly 2018.

Over the course of three days, February 14-16, 2018, the Youth Assembly brought together 1,200 delegates from nearly 100 different countries around the world in a meaningful dialogue with key players in various industries and sectors. Delegates learned practical skills and gained fresh insights into the global challenges of the 21st century. The conference became a rich platform to highlight the importance of innovation, civic engagement, and collaborative partnerships to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Ebru Gencer spoke to the youth delegates on the current challenges of disasters, climate change, and rapid urbanization and how civil society, including youth organizations can engage to reduce risk and help increase resilience in urban areas.

For more information on the activities of the Youth Assembly, please follow @YouthAssembly

 

International Conference on Sustainable Development

CUDRR+R participated at the International Conference on Sustainable Development (ICSD) at Columbia University in New York, on September 18-19, 2017.  At ICSD, Wesley Rhodes made a poster presentation on CUDRR+R and partners’ project “Participatory Planning for Climate Resilient Development in Latin America” as part of the Climate Resilient Cities Initiative.

Wesley at ICSD

For full list of presentations and abstracts, please see ICSD website:

http://ic-sd.org/

Stockholm Security Conference

CUDRR+R’s Ebru Gencer attended the Stockholm Security Conference organized by SIPRI and MSB Swedish Civil Contingency Agency that took place 13-15 September in Stockholm.

Ebru Gencer was part of a panel of discussions on Implementing the Sendai Framework at Municipal Level, chaired by President of the Swedish Red Cross and former Special Representative of the Secretary General on Disaster Risk Reduction Margarete Mahlstrom.

Please visit @SIPRIorg website for a detailed list of panels and more information on the conference.

https://www.sipri.org/events/2017-stockholm-security-conferenceFullSizeRender (2)

Workshop in Santa Ana, El Salvador

As part of its CDKN/FFLA/IDRC funded project on Participatory Planning for Resilient Development in Latin American Cities, CUDRR+R, together with project partners, IIED-AL and ALTERRA, and local partners, the City of Santa Ana and PRISMA, is holding a workshop on Climate Resilient Development in Santa Ana, El Salvador.

The morning portion of the workshop on Thursday, May 11 will be open to the general public.