Aspen NZ hosts New Zealand representative at CityLab 2019 in Washington, DC
I was delighted to be nominated by the Aspen Institute New Zealand to attend the CityLab 2019 Convention in Washington, DC last month. The experience was hugely valuable; overall a phenomenal opportunity.
For those who might not have heard of CityLab, it’s is a high profile global conference celebrating urban life that brings together mayors, policymakers, business leaders, artists and activists from around the world to share the best new ideas and the latest in urban innovation.
For two and a half days, participants explore solutions to the most pressing issues facing city leaders and residents alike. Through panel discussions, one-on-one conversations, workshops and field trips, the event showcases the dynamism and ingenuity that drive a thriving city. And while there are deep divisions in the world today, CityLab attendees are united by their ambition to make their cities more vibrant and livable.
The 2019 theme was urban solutions to global challenges. Speeches, conversations and networking activities over the two and a half days challenged us to explore pressing issues faced by modern cities ranging from urban design, transport and housing to poverty, personal safety and climate change.
High profile speakers included Michael R. Bloomberg, Founder of the Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and the 108th Mayor of New York City.
It wasn’t all just lectures and panel discussions though! We had several field trips which featured historic and architectural highlights around Washington, D.C., as well as visiting some of the city’s urban redevelopment projects, like the Washington Wharf Redevelopment Project.
I returned to New Zealand with many new insights, contacts and project ideas. Many of the challenges faced by modern cities across the globe, such as responding to micro-mobility revolution on city streets and dealing with climate change, also apply to New Zealand.
The conference stood out as exceptional partly because organisers actively engaged with business sectors and professional moderators guided the discussions in a format that was like real conversations amongst individuals exploring different points of views.
And of course, the multi-cultural activities were a stand out. Bringing in voices from many sectors, including city innovators, artists and musicians, as well as from different parts of the world, created a vibrant environment and stimulated a range of cross-sector conversations.
CityLab 2019 was hosted by the Aspen Institute, The Atlantic, and Bloomberg Philanthropies.
Videos of the speeches and panel discussions are publicly available online here.
About the author: Sandy Mandic is an Associate Professor from the University of Otago, Dunedin, in New Zealand and leads the Active Living Laboratory and the Built Environment and Active Transport to School (BEATS) Research Programme and the Transport Research Network Research Theme.