Title of Event:

Name of Organisation:

Date and time of the session:

Life in the Urban Landscape (2): Leadership and Community Involvement in Local Governance - Practical Experience from South Africa, Vietnam and Sweden

Swedish governmental organizations (Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning (Formas), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), National Board of Housing, Building and Planning (Boverket), Environmental Protection Agency (Naturvårdsverket), National Heritage Board (Riksantikvarieämbetet)) together with Save the Children Sweden and the Urban Laboratory Gothenburg.

20 June, 16.30 - 18.30

Key Highlights

1. Estimated no of participants: 90
2. Stakeholder group representation at the event: Mixed (cities, universities, NGO's, community organisations, some national authorities)
3. What were the expected objectives: to promote a dialogue on leadership and community involvement in local urban governance, and to strengthen networks established at WUF2 and the Life in the Urban Landscape conference in 2005
4. What did the networking event achieve: Direct exchange of experiences between people who are directly involved in dialogue processes and community planning in urban areas in different parts of the world. Presentations and interventions at the frontline of knowledge on these issues.

2. What were the core issues identified in your event as they relate to the theme and sub-themes of WUFIII?

Urban governance, community involvement including both adults and children and leadership in local development processes are core issues for the success of the parole of WUFIII, "Turning ideas into action". Without good and efficient governance, ever so brilliant ideas will never be successfully implemented.

3. What were the main points raised by panellists and participants in relation to these different issues? What new ideas have been generated as a result of the discussion?

Responsible local leadership and public participation are key elements and features of "good urban governance", however in the forming of governance networks and partnerships, it is often difficult for marginalised groups to participate, e.g. children, women and poor people. A bottom-up approach and true participation are not obtained in the twinkling of an eye, and furthermore, participatory processes, which are run without anything changing in reality, are often disastrous and counter-productive. Participation is not only listening to children and adults but actually using what comes up in the participation process.

The conclusions can be summarized: Community participation involving people of different ages as well as economic and social status needs to be given sufficient time, resources and deep consideration on the mechanisms and methods that are used, on the ways in which the processes are set-up, and how people get involved. If not, the whole process will have a high risk of becoming counter-productive, non-inclusive and undemocratic, and result in disappointment among citizens, poor outcomes in terms of physical environment and socio-economic regeneration. It is not enough if people FEEL involved, people must BE involved. It has to be about REAL issues, it has to be IMPORTANT to the people, and for ALL.

4. What process steps have been identified in your event that could help turn ideas into operational reality?

Involve citizens from the start of the processes instead of the traditional consulting when projects are already designed. See also above.