Addressing sustainability and the integration of more sustainable practices in the organisation and functioning of society is a global objective that is shared by most urban governance structures around the world. Still, there are many challenges to its realization. One of them is the urgent need for urban policy makers and managers to consider the complexity of a just city through the recognition of informal uses of the city and the diversity of its inhabitants, reducing the domination of the conception of the city by consultants, planners, designers, NGOs, policy makers, technocrats and investors.

The Seminar Inclusive Cities and Nature: Innovation in the Brazil-Europe dialogue proposes to put these issues on the public agenda. Scheduled to take place on 20, 21 and 22 October in an online format, the event is the result of the participation of the Commission for Environment, Ecology and Animal Protection – CEMPA of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Paraná, as an observer in the International Consortium URBiNAT – Urban Inclusive and Innovative Nature – coordinated by CES and responsible for the implementation of Healthy Corridors and participatory urban plans in seven European cities under the Horizon 2020 programme. This meeting aims to bring together Brazilian and European countries’ experiences in the context of connecting cities to nature, seeking to respond to the most recent challenges to this approach. It adopts as methodology the participation of academic experts, practioners, political and technical representatives, as a way to encourage greater integration between sectors and between knowledge. Participants will also be able to experience the practical design of the solutions and issues addressed, applying them in a real context during the parallel sessions. Considering the complexity inherent in the urban spaces of cities, the Seminar contemplates different aspects to (re)think cities, based on 4 premises and debate panels:

1. Co-governance and public policies: fundamental for the design and implementation of inclusive and nature-integrating urban policies.
2. Sustainability and participatory project: a project for the regeneration of inclusive cities involves the appropriation and incorporation by social groups of the knowledge produced.
3. Economy and inclusive urban regeneration: economic practices rooted in place and cooperation transform living conditions and social relations.
4. Networking and cooperation between cities: the sharing of technical, scientific and community knowledge between north and south contributes to a virtuous cycle of mutual learning.

• Public managers of Municipalities of the State of Paraná;
• Technical teams from the secretariats and management bodies of the municipalities;
• Academic researchers and students;
• Representatives of civil society organisations.

• Strengthen the public and political agenda based on the integrated relationship between cities, nature and people, for the benefit of a more inclusive and sustainable societal transformation;
• Promote new models of urban regeneration that use co-creation and participation as drivers for community wellbeing and inclusion, and democratic solutions grounded at the neighbourhood level;
• Recognise inequalities in cities and the need to ensure the right to healthy living “the place”, especially for communities in situations of socio-environmental vulnerability, peripheral, peri-urban and rural regions;
• To consider in the production of knowledge of the Seminar, the heterogeneity of the municipalities of Paraná, assuming the historical, geographical and social differences of the different localities;
• Foster the cross-sharing of experiences, through the multi-stakeholder approach and active involvement of public actors, citizens, associations, academics and private;
• Disseminate nature-based solutions (SbN) for cities, whether in their nature or social aspects.

• Commission for Environment, Ecology and Animal Protection – CEMPA/ ALEP
• Mandate of State Representative Goura Nataraj
• URBiNAT and Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra – CES/UC
• Council of Architecture and Urbanism of Paraná – CAU/PR
• Global Society – SG

Click HERE for additional programme details (in Portuguese)

REGISTRATION: cidadesenatureza2021@gmail.com