Date and time
This special session is organised by the RSA Research network on Academic-Practitioner Collaboration for Urban Settlements, South Pacific
More people than ever before feel like they belong to the Pacific city – that they identify as urban dwellers. Cities provide less space for gardening as populations grow, and urban people must find other ways to thrive. This event will highlight some forms of resilience developed by communities as they strive to find belonging in the urban Pacific. This resilience will be a starting point for a dialogue about creating more partnerships and empowering more communities as urban citizens. Belonging and identity are crucial for operationalising the New Pacific Urban Agenda and the SDGs, which mandate us to seek opportunities to create inclusive urbanization, empower citizens in governance, and leverage the urban economy for the poor. This session will enhance dialogue between academics who study belonging, government and aid practitioners who develop and implement policy and programming for Pacific cities, and communities, who live the experience
of resilience-by-necessity.
Panelists
- Hon. Renata Netaf, Duputy Mayor of Luganville, will speak about how belonging impacted resilience in her town after the Ambae evacuation, and also about how urban people can contribute to resilience.
- Leith Veremaito, Director, Vanuatu Department of Local Authorities, will speak about the role of governance in belonging.
- Anne Pakoa, Human Rights Activist in Port Vila, will speak about a rights-based approach for community organising in urban Vanautu.
- Jennifer Day, University of Melbourne and the lead organiser of the RSA Research Network, APCUS-SP, will speak about how community organising is generating resilience in Port Vila.