Public spaces are stages for our common lives. This is where we live our everyday lives, exchange ideas, knowledge and goods and gather around celebrations. We want our public spaces welcoming for everyone, as meeting-places in our diverse urban neighbourhoods.

However, we do also experience parks and streets that are either empty, in little use or dominated by single groups. Squares that are not appreciated by women, are often used by even more vulnerable groups. Conflicting interests are seen between children’s need for playgrounds and drug-users and dealer’s meeting places. Such troubled public spaces bear witness to a need for new approaches to the development of thriving neighbourhoods where no – one is left behind.

Safety is one of the most decisive factors for people who wants to make use of public space, this is in particular true for girls and women. More than 130 countries around the world have laws that, in the name of security, are barriers to women’s movement. Simultaneously, it is the presence of others that generate a feeling of safety. In order to create welcoming public spaces that contain competing interests, we need more than an empty stage: We need to explore a combination of social, physical, technological and organisational approaches and solutions together with the different users.

At this event Habitat Norway explores how we can create better public spaces in urban neighbourhoods, drawing on global and local practices with a theoretical approach and practical examples. How do we include groups with different needs and resources?

Pre-programme from 16:00, event starts at 17:00.

Amongst the speakers are:

- Ellen S. de Vibe, from the board of Habitat Norway
- Bjørg Sandkjær. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, State Secretary of international development
- Jayathma Wickramanayake, UN Youth envoy
- Juma Assiago, UN Habitat, Safer cities programme
- Kelly Donovan, Global Infrastructure Basel Foundation (GIB), Safe&sound cities programme
- Ingar Brattbakk, Oslo Metropolitan University
- Laura Marano, Youth community mobilizer
- Eva B. Storrusten, architect MNAL
- Ida Ufoma Helgheim Ijeabuonwu, Bydel Gamle Oslo, Områdeløft

Following the presentations there will be a panel debate led by Ellen de Vibe.
Presentations in English, panel debate in Norwegian.

See full programme here.