Medellin, 10 April 2014: High profile urban writer and theorist, Richard Florida, and planning and design practitioner, have said that we are not yet prepared for the urbanisation that will take place in the coming years given the current rate at which we need to expand our cities and towns.

Medellin, 9 April 2014: Renowned architect, urban planner and architectural pioneer, Leon Krier, has said that we should look at cities in the past to learn what works – and what does not – when planning cities for the future.

He made the comments during the second edition of the Urban Talks; a series of informal public presentations and discussions at the World Urban Forum 7, hosted in Medellin, Colombia this week.

Medellin, 8 April 2014: Key players from across the globe came together at the World Urban Forum for a special session on Financing the New Urban Agenda. The debate revolved around the implementation of the Habitat Agenda with a special focus on its adequate financing, including exploration of viable innovations and new partnerships to be proposed ahead of the United Nations Third Conference on Housing and Sustainable Development, Habitat III, taking place in 2016.

Nobel Economics Laureate Professor Joseph Stiglitz on Tuesday warned that there was no magic bullet to end inequality but laid down a series of measures he said could help to mitigate the problem.

Speaking to the press in the sidelines of the Seventh Session of the World Urban Forum in Medellin, Colombia, Prof. Stiglitz said tackling inequality required innovation by the world’s governments.

The Seventh Session of the World Urban Forum (WUF7) officially opened in Medellin, Columbia with strong calls to increase opportunities for all those living in cities.

In a video message, United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-Moon welcomed the participants saying, “We need inclusive development to eradicate extreme poverty."

For the first time, a Children’s Assembly has been held at the World Urban Forum to highlight the needs and wants of our cities’ youngest and often most vulnerable citizens.

The session opened with the language of music led by Esteban Arredondo. Joyati Das, Senior Director of World Vision Urban COE, opened proceedings by saying that as a child, she wanted to grow up quickly in order to have a voice and influence other people. “Here, today”, she said, “children have an oppoortunity to be listened to.”

UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos and the Deputy Executive Director Dr. Aisa Kirabo lay a wreath of flowers to mark the 20th anniversary of the Rwanda Genocide in Medellin on Monday. The day marks the anniversary of the genocide in Rwanda when up to a million people lost their lives, approximately 20 per cent of Rwanda’s population. Here, Dr. Kirabo, herself a Rwandese citizen, pays her respects after laying the wreath.

Medellín, 6 April 2014: Journalists from all over the world participated in the Digital Media and Urban Journalism Academies, held in the side-lines of the World Urban Forum (WUF7) which opens on Monday in Medellín, Colombia.

The Mayor of Medellin Mr. Anibal Gauria (Second left) gestures as he makes a point to UN-Habitat Executive Director Dr. Joan Clos (centre). Looking on are UN-Habitat Deputy Executive Director Dr. Aisa Kirabo (second left), Colombia´s Permanent Representative to UN-Habitat Ms. Maria Eugenia Correa (extreme left) and the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia Mr. Fabrizio Hochschild (extreme right).

Nearly 25,000 people have registered as participants for the Seventh Session of the World Urban Forum that will take place in Medellin, Colombia in early April.

As online registration this week, UN-Habitat and the WUF7 Secretariat confirmed that a record number of people have signed up to attend the world’s premier conference on cities and urban development.