[Air-l] world habitat jam

[Jeremy Hunsinger]

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The World Urban Forum Invites Your Participation in a Global Internet  
Dialogue on Urban Sustainability: Habitat JAM December 1 - 3, 2005

What does the executive director of UN-Habitat Anna Tibaijuka;  
filmmaker Deepa Metha; director of the world's largest conservation  
group Achim Steiner; award-winning Naga City, Philippines Mayor Jesse  
Robredo; president of African Development Bank Donald Kaberuka; world- 
renowned sustainability architect and architect William McDonough;  
head of India's National Federation of Slum Dwellers Jockin  
Arpurtham; president of the Canadian International Development Agency  
Robert Greenhill and twelve thousand other people from around the  
world have in common?

They have committed to participate in an unprecedented online  
conversation on solutions for making our cities and the lives of the  
urban poor more sustainable.

In the next 50 years, two thirds of the world's population will live  
in urban areas. UN-Habitat is the United Nations Agency responsible  
for human settlements that promotes socially and environmentally  
sustainable towns and cities with adequate housing for all. The  
Government of Canada, with UN-Habitat and IBM is hosting Habitat JAM  
on December 1 to 3, 2005.

The World Urban Forum (WUF) is convened by UN-HABITAT every two  
years. The next WUF will be hosted in Vancouver in June 2006 and is  
expected to bring together six thousand people to debate ideas and  
issues about sustainable urban development.

What is a JAM?

A global 72-hour internet event, the Habitat JAM is part of the  
preparations for World Urban Forum in Vancouver. During the JAM,  
people from all walks of life will contribute their ideas and  
expertise via an online discussion, pioneering a new form of global  
problem-solving on urgent and controversial issues facing a rapidly  
urbanizing planet.

Habitat JAM will gather input and create actionable ideas for the  
Vancouver World Urban Forum's agenda. Key topics include improving  
the lives of urban slum dwellers, finance and governance in cities,  
sustainable access to water, environmental sustainability, safety,  
security and humanity, the future of our cities.

This is no simple chat room! Designed by IBM, JAM technology offers a  
radically new form of democratic and pragmatic engagement, and on  
that promises to empower people to take charge of the decisions and  
forces that affect their lives. The JAM is a new form of global  
problem-solving to create a vision, build consensus and turn goals  
into reality in a world without boundaries.

Spread the word - be a catalyst for change - talk to the world! Share  
your expertise, your experience, your ideas and help bring to light  
promising ideas and solutions.

An unusual and creative engagement process, the JAM is positioned to  
generate unique insights that have the potential to transform society  
towards sustainability. Join us. It's free. Register now at http:// 
www.habitatjam.com.


jeremy hunsinger
jhuns at vt.edu
www.cddc.vt.edu
jeremy.tmttlt.com
www.tmttlt.com

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