Urban Festival 2021
The Urban Festival was held online from 27-29 October 2021. The role of the conference was to engage local, national and international voices on the key challenges (climate, economic, urban and many others) that cities are facing.
If you missed any of the sessions the recordings are available below.
The summaries and recordings of the individual sessions will be available on the SA Cities Network website: https://www.sacities.net/urban-festival-2021/
Conference Day 1 recording
Schedule:
Session 1: 8:30 AM
Opening, Welcome and Morning Lectures
Opening Address by the Honourable Deputy Minister Obed Bapela – Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affair.
Interview with Sithole Mbanga, CEO SA Cities Network and curator Rashiq Fataar, Our Future Cities
Spoken Word Performance by Emmah Mabye
Lecture: Designing for Recovery and Rebuilding by Dr. Luyanda Mpahlwa
Interview: What is Emergency Governance? Mduduzi Mbada, Head: Policy Research & Advisory Services Unit, Office of the Premier, Gauteng Province
Session 2: 10:10 AM
Recalibration and innovation of post pandemic governance
Panelists: Andrew Boraine, Dr. Soobs Moonsammy
Film: This session will open with the Good Hood Stories Film H focussed on Helenvale Safety and Peace through Urban Upgrading (SPUU) Programme.
Session 3: 1:00 PM
Cities as green job engines
Panelists: Matthew Cullinan, Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, Collen Masango
City Sustainability Showcase: Tshwane House incorporates sustainable building features and has achieved a five-star Green Star SA rating.
Session 4: 3:15 PM
The case for rebuilding cities through a circular economy approach
Panelists: Aleksander Stojakovic, Dr. Carolina Giraldo Nohra, Deborah Nartey, Paul Currie
Schedule:
Session 5: 8:30 AM
Welcome and Morning Lecture
Opening Address by the Honourable Deputy Minister Ms Pamela Tshwete – Department of Human Settlements
Round up of Day 1 by MC Ayabonga Cawe
Spoken Word Performance by Emmah Mabye
Lecture: Don’t stop talking: Community Engagement in a crisis in Soweto – Monique Cranna
Session 6: 10:10 AM
The race to decarbonise our cities
Panelists: Megan Euston-Brown, Kedibone Modiselle, Hastings Chikoko
This session will open with an interview between Rashiq Fataar and Jodi Allemeier on New City Models for the South African context.
Session 7: 1:00 PM
Affordable housing as key driver of sustainable cities
Panelists: Carel Kleynhans, Georgina Smit and Karabelo Collen Pooe
City Sustainability Showcase: Blesbokspruit Wetland Project – Rehabilitation of one of the largest wetlands in Southern Africa, returning it to international RAMSAR standards.
Session 8: Thursday, October 28 | 3:15 PM
Public spaces and streets for post-Covid city recovery
Panelists: Bavusile Ramakane, Rashiq Fataar, Carolyn Daher, Demetrio Scopelliti, Teddy Awori
Schedule:
Session 9: 08:30 AM
Welcome, Lecture and Discussion
Opening Address by the SA Cities Network Council Chairperson and Executive Mayor of Buffalo City, Xola Pakati.
Round up of Day 2 by MC Ayabonga Cawe
Spoken Word Performance by Emmah Mabye
Lecture: Yolisa Kani – Mobility as the foundation for rebuilding cities
Panel discussion: Sean Cooke, Gail Jennings, Ofentse Mokwena
Session 10: Friday, October 29 | 10:10 AM
Scaling community-led projects for city wide impact
Panelists: Mzikhona Mgedle, Nontobeko Sibisi
This session will open with an interview with SA Cities Network CEO, Sithole Mbanga: Launching the State of the Cities Report with theme of Cooperative Governance
Session 11: 1:00 PM
Have Smart(er) Cities enhanced city response and resilience?
Panelists: Richard Gevers, Judy Backhouse
This session will open with a presentation on a political cartoon mural that will be installed at a prominent location in downtown Johannesburg.
City Sustainability Showcase: Community-led cleaning and maintaining of the Aller river and forested area around it with the employment of ‘Eco-Champs’,
Session 12: Friday, October 29 | 3:15 PM
Events and Culture as stimuli for for city recovery
Panelists: Marco Morgan, Dillion Phiri, Caryn Green
