News on opportunities, that helped to deliver a meaningful contribution and drive positive change towards a more sustainable and healthy urban future for all people:
2019
2018
2017
Save the date and attend the 3rd EcoMobility Congress in Kaohsiung, Chinese Taipei between 2- 4 October 2017! Imagine a better world - a world without cars and experience this first hand. Urban Synergies Group will present and share some of their recent findings and experience with the worldwide EcoMobility community.
https://ecomobility.org/event/ecomobility-congress-2017/
Interested in learning more about the links between road safety, active mobility and health? Access here our free webcast as part of our knowledge transfer in collaboration with GIZ Sustainable Urban Transport Program (SUTP) and World Health Organisation (WHO).
Zoom in and listen what our Founding Director Gregor Mews has to say in relation to children and the city we need. This video has been recorded as part of the World Urban Campaign's Urban Thinkers voices initiative at the 26th Governing Council Meeting of UN-Habitat in Nairobi, May 2017.
A meeting with the lead of an international journal for public space and some good colleagues of us in Hong Kong, led to the concept to do a joined project in Hong Kong to transform some public spaces into sustainable play spaces for all generations.
On the 23 May 2017 we were part of the global webinar with the German government (GIZ) and the WHO Asia Pacific showcasing our capability to a world wide audience.
We presented at the UN Council meeting side event our findings of “Shaping spaces for Gen Z”. Sadly the session was not recorded but under the following link you can access some of the images of the session.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldurbancampaign/albums/72157680466169163
Also in collaborated with the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Government of Norway, Government of Ghana and UN-Habitat in the delivery of a second side event entitled: Urban and Territorial Planning Towards a Healthy Environment on the 8 May 2017. We showcased how planning is key to producing positive health outcomes in urban areas and how the IG-UTP can contribute to this purpose.
Based on our proactive inputs we were invited to be on a high level assessment panel- investigating and evaluating the effectiveness of UN-Habitat. We had the chance to speak during the hearings with assessor panel advocating for the strengthening of the WUC.
During the week in Nairobi, we took on a lead role in the World Urban Campaign (WUC) steering committee. Over the period of three days we workshopped the way forward and reported back to the committee the “Shaping Spaces for Gen Z” outcomes and collaborative achievements with the University of Canberra’s Health Research Institute.
Access photos of the event here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/worldurbancampaign/sets/72157680367514623
Our Urban Thinker Campus report can be downloaded here:
http://www.worldurbancampaign.org/utc-report-shaping-spaces-genz (online report)
http://www.worldurbancampaign.org:8008/sites/default/files/ss4genz-report_web.pdf (publication)
Earlier this year we collaborated with SAP Institute for Digital Government in Australia developing a discussion paper on cities. The report can be accessed here: http://assets.dm.ux.sap.com/digitalhub/SAP_Institute_Digital_Government/pdfs/intelligent-communities-paper.pdf
Be part of the Festival of Ambitious Ideas and hear our Founding Director Gregor Mews sharing ideas on urban design and future cities for the 100 year life, 2nd March 2017 in Canberra.
2016
Gregor Mews will represent USG as a participating organisation at the “Smart cities in the New Urban Agenda” side event of the Habitat 3 conference in Quito, Ecuador, on 19 October 2016, 12.30- 1.30 pm in Room MR10, Casa de la Cultura Ecuatoriana “Benjamin Carrion”.
USG contributed to the UN Habitat III Consultation as part of on the stream “How do we build inclusive, sustainable and accessible urban spaces that reflect and encompass the diversity and needs of all inhabitants?”
Gregor Mews on behalf of Urban Synergies Group talks on Play, Urban Design and Well-being at the Play, Creativity and Culture Symposium, 10 November 2016.
Urban Synergies Group would like to welcome Dr. Andrew MacKenzie as a Devotee to the team, 23 April 2016.
Urban Synergies Group welcomes two new Devotees to the team Dr. Manfredo Manfredini and Aline Peres dos Santos; both bring new valuable perspectives to the interdisciplinary group and we all look forward to shape healthy communities worldwide with them, 16th November 2016.
Urban Synergies Group welcomes two new members as Devotees. Prof. Rachel Davey and Dr. Milica Muminović joining the team from 27 April 2016.
As of the 23 November 2016 Urban Synergies Group is now an Associate Partner of the World Urban Campaign
Urban Synergies Group welcomes a new member in the role of a Devotee Ms. Beth Mitchell, 1 June 2016.
Urban Talk grassroots event in Canberra on 29th November 2016 Reflections on the New Urban Agenda- Gregor Mews reports back from Habitat 3, Smith Alternative , 5.30 pm – 7 pm.
Ideas Hatchery event: USG hosts on the 3rd June 2016 the first Ideas Hatchery event in Canberra under the theme of “Right to the City”.
2015
Two day seminar “Reclaiming play spaces” on behalf of SIK-Holz, Hamburg, 16 – 17 September 2015
Workshop with the University of Construction in Hanoi on play grounds for visually impaired school children, 5 December, Vietnam, 2015.
Seminar on “Designing attractive child friendly environment” for the city of Essen, Germany, 23 September 2015
Urban Synergies Group is endorsing the Johannesburg Declaration on Ecomobility in Cities as an important cornerstone in achieving a better urban future for all.
2014
2013
