“Man only plays when he is in the fullest sense of the word a human being, and he is only fully a human being when he plays” wrote Friedrich Schiller (1795).

Urban Synergies Group has been advocating for a paradigm shift towards human rights in urban design as integral part of sustainable development. Our submission highlighted that if we want to sustain health and well- being  in urban systems we must embrace sustainable development with our collective bio-history in mind and adding human rights into the equation. We are pleased to share that the outcome of the UN Habitat III meeting has just been released. The Barcelona Declaration for Habitat III – Public Space stresses the following:

“Human rights are key to advancing and developing an urbanization that is sustainable and socially inclusive, that promotes equality, combats discrimination in all its forms and empowers individuals and communities. The New Urban Agenda is a unique opportunity for state authorities at all level to realize the human rights of all inhabitants.”

“The Right to the City is a new paradigm that provides an alternative framework to re-think cities and urbanization. It envisions the effective fulfillment of all internationally agreed human rights, sustainable development objectives as expressed through the Sustainable Development Goals, and the commitments of the Habitat Agenda.”