UPSC Hosted an Experts’ Dialogue on Innovation Guiding Urban Development

The theme for WCD 2017 is Innovative Governance, Open Cities , which echoes the ideas of New Urban Agenda and the five development philosophies of China, aiming at leading the sustainable development of cities around the world and advancing the worldwide implementation of 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and New Urban Agenda of UN.

In the afternoon of October 31, UPSC, together with The International Society of City and Regional Planners（ISOCARP） and Guangdong City Planning Association（GCPA）， hosted the experts’ dialogue on Innovation’s role of leading urban development.

Vice president and secretary general of UPSC, Dr. SHI Nan moderated the heated discussion. Invited speakers include Dr. Yang Baojun, director of comprehensive planning committee of UPSC and head of China Academy of Urban Planning and Design, Dr. Ma Xiangming, deputy director of urban photography committee of UPSC and chief technical director of Guangdong Urban and Rural Planning and Design Institute, and distinguished experts from Italy, Germany, the U.S. and UN-Habitat.

The speakers debated heatedly on the definition of urban innovation, how to guide urban development by innovation, and the relationship between innovation and cultural conservation. They agreed that innovation lies at the core of the goal of WCD: better cities for better lives.