An international conference on “The Role of Youth in Urban Planning in the Decolonization Process” will be held on May 20, organized by the Baku Initiative Group, within the framework of the 13th Session of the United Nations (UN) World Urban Forum (WUF13) in Baku.
Modern.az reports that the conference will be remembered as the first international event of the Global South Youth Platform, created by young people representing various countries of the world at the initiative of the BIG.
For the first time, the UN Youth Office will also be represented by its delegates at the conference. Representatives from a total of 22 countries will participate in the event, including members of the Global South Youth Platform representing current and former colonies - young researchers, individuals specializing in international law, healthcare professionals, representatives of pro-independence political parties and organizations, leaders of youth organizations, and university students.
The event will discuss the establishment of stronger and more coordinated mechanisms to combat the ongoing effects of colonialism and neocolonialism among young people from different regions, the networking of the Global South Youth Platform, and the transformation of international solidarity into real and effective platforms. At the same time, there will be an exchange of views on issues such as higher-level organization of youth, bringing systemic discrimination and human rights violations faced by minorities to the center of the international agenda, and advancing concrete, results-oriented international initiatives against these problems.
It should be noted that on May 19, within the framework of WUF13, an event dedicated to “Injustices and Housing Crisis Created by Colonial Administration” will be organized by the Baku Initiative Group (BIG). Within the framework of the event, conference participants will discuss the socio-economic impacts of colonial and neocolonial governance, structural inequalities arising in urbanization processes, existing challenges in housing provision, as well as the impacts of these problems on local populations.
