In pics: Youths write, draw their dreams for greener, safer cities at WUF12

CAIRO - 5 November 2024: The second day of the 12th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) kicks off Tuesday from Cairo. 

The opening session was attended by thousands of international participants, who showed interest in joining the WUF12, which advocates for local action to empower balanced and sustainable cities. 

Being held at the Manara Conference Center in Cairo, the forum has allocated free spaces for youth visiting the venue to express their opinions and future needs in their cities. 

WUF12 Participants were invited to write on a large white board their thoughts and dreams for their local cities, answering a question: “What do you need to see in your city?”

egypt today magazine monitored the diverse opinions and needs of young people visiting the World Urban Forum from all countries of the world. 

Some of the youths wrote that they need to see bike lanes, more pedestrian bridges, friendly public spaces, cleaner streets, and safer roads for people and animals. 

Most of the participants answered the question by wishing for more safe, green and smart spaces in their cities. 

The second day kicks off with an agenda full of dialogues and discussions highlighting two of the goals of the WUF12 this year, which are “housing our future,” and “cities and climate crisis.”

In a related context, Dr. Manal Awad, Minister of Local Development, is participatingTuesday, in a number of ministerial meetings and sessions within the activities of the second day of the twelfth session of the World Urban Forum "WUF12", in order to review the most important achievements that Egypt has made over the past years in the fields of sustainable development, improving infrastructure and citizens' standard of living, and facing urban challenges such as overcrowding, pollution, and lack of resources.

The 12th Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF12) kicked off Monday from Cairo, where 30,000 participants from around the world attended the forum. 

Under the theme “It all starts at home: Local actions for sustainable cities and communities,” WUF12 centres on localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by emphasizing the importance of community-led solutions to address global challenges such as affordable housing, climate adaptation, essential public services, and the impacts of rising living costs.