31st October 2023 | Songyang, China
World Cities Day and IFURL3 conclude
On 31st October 2023, the world joined UN-Habitat to celebrate and conclude Urban October, and more specifically, World Cities Day (WCD) at the Municipality of Üsküdar, Istanbul, Türkiye. Coinciding with the World Cities Day Celebrations, UN-Habitat, Department of Housing and Urban-Rural Development of Zhejiang Province, the Department of Transportation of Zhejiang Province, Lishui Municipal People’s Government, Songyang County people’s government, China and the 180+ diverse participants expressed enthusiasm and delight as they concluded the 3rd International Forum on Urban-Rural Linkages (IFURL3).
The theme of WCD, Financing sustainable urban future for all, was well relatable with one of the subthemes of IFURL3: Resource Distribution, which sought to explore how to balance resource distribution for a more equitable urban and rural development.
The second and final day of IFURL featured two thematic site visits: (Transportation) and (Rural Development), a closing ceremony, and a symbolic group activity.
SITE VISIT 1- tRANSPORTATION
- Participants visited the Songyang Rural Distribution Centre, a facility that has linked urban and rural areas and increased employment opportunities.
- They also visited Chenjiapu traditional village, a 640-year-old village with a bird’s-eye view that has been revitalized with modern designs.
- Participants were impressed by the efficiency of the distribution center and how it has improved the lives of rural residents.
- They were also impressed by the beauty of Chenjiapu village and its blend of traditional culture and modern amenities.
The visit to the Songyang Rural Distribution Centre and Chenjiapu traditional village was a highlight of the site visit program, giving participants a firsthand look at how Songyang is working to achieve balanced development and rural revitalization.
- Abdul Husaini of Niger State shared his insights on the impact of COVID-19 on rural communities and expressed his positive impression of Songyang’s transportation initiatives.
- Jean-Marie Cishahayo of the University of Ottawa presented on building integrated urban-rural green transportation and mobility networks.
- Wang Fujian of Zhejiang University demonstrated intelligent road maintenance using sensors and mobile applications.
Site visit 2: Rural Development
- Participants visited Hengkeng Village, a national traditional village founded in the Ming Dynasty.
- They learnt about the village’s history, culture, and artistic rural construction efforts.
- They saw the various elements of rural development in the village, such as the restored traditional villages and the “art hall” within the national traditional village park.
Participants were taken through the village to see the various elements of rural development.
- Liliana Núñez Velis presented on how to support traditional knowledge and inclusive processes in rural development.
- Lu Yuanzheng emphasized the importance of identifying key village areas for development and building demonstration sites.
- Muhammad Gambo introduced Shelter Afrique’s IDP/Refugees Housing initiative to help rural communities recover from climate-induced disasters.
- Tan Gangyi suggested that barefoot architecture can revitalize locality and integrate rural communities into the environment.
- He Yong presented on how the Architecture Design Competition can be used to promote local acupuncture projects to a global audience and place people at the center of the project.
“My Share for the Repair of Old Houses” Initiative
Participants visited Jieshou Village, one of the over 100 traditional villages in Songyang currently being preserved and revitalized. They saw centuries-old streets, cultural items, traditional house designs, and flood prevention measures.
The village’s exhibition area displayed a 3-D map of the 100 traditional villages in Songyang, and participants interacted with images of the revitalized villages. They also went through a ten-minute crash course on brick making using a mix of traditional and modern methods. This insightful training included how to place the bricks on the wall to ensure accuracy, compactness, and durability.
The “My Share for the Repair of Old Houses” Initiative is a community-based program that aims to preserve and revitalize traditional villages in Songyang. It provides financial assistance and technical support to villagers who want to repair their old houses. The goal is to protect Songyang’s rich cultural heritage and create a more sustainable future for its rural communities.
After the various enlightening opening ceremony speeches, keynote speech, insightful field visits and concurrent sessions, it was time to conclude the forum.
Raf Tuts, UN-Habitat, expressed gratitude to the hosts of the forum and the participants. He summarized how the main theme had been explored through the four subthemes and the field trips.
He reiterated UN-Habitat’s commitment to enhancing sustainable development and ensuring that no one and no place is left behind.
Ye Bojun, Songyang County, expressed gratitude to the organizers of the forum. He highlighted the success of the site visits and side events, and the friendships forged during the forum.
He emphasized that the closing ceremony is not the end, but the beginning of a journey to strengthen exchanges, deepen friendship, and discuss cooperation and development.
Mo Liang, Songyang County, officially concluded the forum by thanking all involved in the planning and running of the event.
