Irina Bokova's message for World Expo 2010 in Shanghai -12 May 2010

Creating sustainable, inclusive and creative cities in todays urban age

More than half of the worlds population lives in cities today. The numbers keep growing, as people migrate from the countryside in search of opportunities. How can their expectations be met? What vision should we have for the city of the future? At UNESCO, we believe that the future of our cities depends upon our ability to work and live together sustainably and in peace. This is not only a question of good urban amenities: policy makers also need to take fully into account migration, integration, cultural diversity, environmental management and the protection of natural resources. At the same time, as rapid urbanisation transforms the cultural and social fabric of communities, people also have to change certain mind-sets in order to learn to live together. We need to view cultural diversity as an advantage for the communities we live in. We can and must meet this challenge, each of us individually, and all of us together, in our towns and cities.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• bokova
• shanghai
• world
• expo
• 2010
• UNESCO
• China