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WUF Session: Promoting a culture of healthy public spaces- case studies and key drivers for action

February 11, 2020 @ 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

The Public Space Research Group is organizing this session on Public Space and Health.

There is a growing recognition of the key relationship between public spaces and health. To illustrate, the World Health Organization has estimated 3.3% of global deaths can be attributed to physical inactivity resulting from poor walkability and lack of access to recreational areas such as parks and playgrounds. However, cities around the world have different cultures around public space, which result in different policies and different levels of access to and use of parks and playgrounds. This event gathers speakers that will present case studies concerning public spaces and health in different areas of the world, to share the specific challenges faced, the innovative approaches to overcome them, and the experiences, lessons learned and best practices to tap the benefits public spaces can offer to improve health of city residents. This session will feature the following presentations:

– Emily Ferris (CUNY PARCS Study, NYC): Evaluating the impact of park renovations on New York City residents’ physical activity behaviors, mental health and sense of community well-being.

– Hai Dinh Dang (HealthBridge): Working in public spaces to increase physical activity among locals in Hoi An and Hanoi, Vietnam.

– Tran Thi Kieu Thanh Ha (HealthBridge): Preservation of local fresh markets to increase accessibility to healthy food in Hanoi, Vietnam.

– Krishnendu Mani (ESAF): Livable Cities Project, Bengaluru, India.

– Greg Mews (Urban Synergies Group) and Paul Kargbo Abu (Youth Dream Centre – Sierra Leone): Creating spaces for youth well-being in informal urban Sierra Leone.

The discussion will be moderated by Setha Low, Director of the Public Space Research Group and Distinguished Professor at The Graduate Center, CUNY.

Given the cross-sectional focus of this event, it responds to many commitments of the New Urban Agenda, particularly commitment 67, to “promoting the creation and maintenance of well-connected and well-distributed networks of open, multipurpose, safe, inclusive, accessible, green and quality public spaces”. This event also contributes to advancing SDG 3 (“Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages”), SDG 10 (“Reduce inequality within and among countries”), SDG 11 (“Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable”), and SDG 13 (“Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts”).

Schedule for the session:

– Welcoming words and introductions (2 minutes)

– Case studies presented by speakers (5 x 6 minutes)

– Moderated discussion between speakers and participants (25 minutes)

– Wrap-up and conclusions (3 minutes)

Key Objectives

• Highlight the importance of fostering public space culture to advance an urban public health agenda.

• Identify key drivers for action to transition to a culture of healthy public spaces.

• Establish a network of support, knowledge-sharing and technology transfer between stakeholders of cities around the world to prioritize public space as a key health, culture and equality issue.

• Advance the discussions to support the fulfillment of the commitments made in the New Urban Agenda, in the specific areas of public spaces, health, equality, culture and cooperation.

• Partly contribute to the satisfaction of Sustainable Development Goals related to health (SDG 3), inequalities (SDG 10), livability in cities (SDG 11), and climate change action (SDG 13).

Details

Date:
February 11, 2020
Time:
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm
Event Category:
Event Tags:
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Venue

Hall 2, Room 8
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