The World Urban Forum opens today in Vancouver. With more than 50% of the world's population now living in cities, the way we design communities is increasingly important to the survival of millions. The UN writes:

Our Future: Sustainable Cities – Turning Ideas into Action.
The World Urban Forum, held every two years, was established by the United Nations to examine one of the most pressing issues facing the world today: rapid urbanization in a world where half of humanity lives in cities and where in the next 50 years that proportion is expected to reach two-thirds of the global population.

Most of this urban growth is taking place in developing countries where the major challenge is to combat poverty and provide better access to basic shelter and services, like clean water and sanitation. Cities in wealthier nations also face problems of urbanization—like crumbling infrastructure, smog and social exclusion. For cities North and South the challenge is to find solutions and size opportunities—that alleviate poverty in cities, reduce pollution and facilitate sustainable urban growth and development.

The Third Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF3) will be hosted by the Government of Canada in partnership with UN-HABITAT in Vancouver, Canada. For five days, thousands of participants from more than 150 nations will discuss, debate and share experiences about how to make our cities better places to live.

The Third Session of the World Urban Forum will mark the 30th anniversary of the first United Nations conference on human settlements held in Vancouver in 1976, which led to the creation of UN-HABITAT.

MONDAY, 19 JUNE
0800 - 0900

CAUCUS Meetings (for interested parties)
1000 - 1300

Opening Ceremony and Plenary Session
1300 - 1400

Official Opening of the WUFIII Exposition
1400 - 1600

Networking Events
1430 - 1730

Roundtables (5)
Parliamentarians |Private Sector |NGOs | Researchers | Womens
1500 - 1800

Roundtables (1) Ministers
1630 - 1830

Networking Events


TUESDAY, 20 JUNE
0730 - 0815

CAUCUS Meetings (for interested parties)
0830 - 0930

Plenary
0900 - 1200

Training Events (3)
1000 - 1200

DIALOGUE
Achieving the MDGs: Slum Upgrading and Afforable Housing
Public Engagement: The Inclusive Approach
1000 - 1200

TRIALOGUE
Water, Sanitation and Human Settlement
1000 - 1200

Special Session : The Wealth of Cities: Towards an Assets-Based Development of Urbanizing Regions
1330 - 1530

Networking Events
1630 - 1830

Networking Events


WEDNESDAY, 21 JUNE
0730 - 0815

CAUCUS Meetings (for interested parties)
0830 - 0930

Plenary Session
0900 - 1200

Training Events (3)
1000 - 1200

DIALOGUES
Municipal Finance: Innovation and collaboration
Sustainable Cities: Urban safety and security: Taking Responsibility
1000 - 1200

Special Session - Role of Municipal Government
1330 - 1530

Networking Events
1430 - 1730

Roundtables (7)
Mayors/Local Authorities| Gendered Land Tools | Youth | Educators |Indigenous People | Faith-Based Organizations
1630 - 1830

Networking Events


THURSDAY, 22 JUNE
0730 - 0815

CAUCUS Meetings (for interested parties)
0830 - 0930

Plenary
0900 - 1200

Training Events (3)
1000 - 1200

DIALOGUE
The Shape of Cities: Urban Planning and Management
Access to Energy Services and Sustainable Transport
1330 - 1530

Networking Events
1630 - 1830

Networking Events


FRIDAY, 23 JUNE
0730 - 0815

CAUCUS Meetings (for interested parties)
0830 - 1030

Networking Events
0830 - 1030

Special Session - From Vancouver to Nanjing
0830 - 1030

Special Session - future of Cities
1100 - 1300

Closing Session and Ceremony