UNIVERSITIES CREATE MILLENNIUM CITY NETWORK FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AT THE VANCOUVER WORLD URBAN FORUM

The longest day of the year 2006, 21 June, saw the birth of an initiative that can inject new hope and energy in the global, national and local efforts in pursuit of the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals. “Millennium City University” is the provisional title of an open-ended network of Universities which intends to launch a bridge between North and South, global and national, national and local. Its purpose is to unleash the energy of millions of scholars, researchers, and future professionals in order to help cities and human settlements design participated, sustainable and implementable local strategies based on the Millennium Development Goals. The initiative was spearheaded by the planning departments of the Universities of British Columbia, Columbia University and Rome “La Sapienza”. Scholars and heads of department from Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa co-signed a memorandum of understanding that will be open to all of the world’s universities in the expectation to consolidate existing partnerships, create new ones and bring tangible results at the next World Urban Forum to be held in Najing, China, in 2008.

World Urban Forum Bulletin, 22 giugno 2006