Press Release
Urban Economy Forum Convenes First Steering Committee for its 8th Edition, Marking a New Phase of Global Urban Collaboration
PRESS RELEASE
Urban Economy Forum Convenes First Steering Committee for its 8th Edition,
Marking a New Phase of Global Urban Collaboration
Toronto, March 17, 2026 — The Urban Economy Forum (UEF) officially convened the first meeting of its Steering Committee for the 8th edition, marking a significant milestone in the Forum’s continued evolution as a global platform for dialogue, partnership, and action on sustainable urban development.
Now entering its eighth consecutive year, the Urban Economy Forum continues to demonstrate its institutional strength and global relevance, evolving beyond a recurring event into a dynamic and growing ecosystem. With expanding partnerships, increasing participation, and deepening legitimacy, UEF has established itself as a trusted global convening space shaping the future of cities.
A Unique Global Platform at the Intersection of Urban Transformation
The Steering Committee reaffirmed the Forum’s distinctive role at the intersection of urban economy, urban development, and sustainability—a space where policy, finance, and lived realities converge.
As highlighted during the meeting:
“The Urban Economy Forum brings another layer… understanding the realities and how people respond to incentives and disincentives in everyday life.”
Participants emphasized that UEF offers a rare platform capable of bridging planning intentions with economic realities, promoting integrated, cross-sectoral approaches that align economic growth, social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and quality of life.
Importantly, for its 8th edition, the Forum will adopt a non-thematic, comprehensive approach, reflecting the complexity of urban challenges today and enabling a more holistic and multidimensional dialogue.
Steering Committee: Strategic Leadership for a Global Agenda
The Steering Committee will play a central role in guiding the strategic direction, global activities, and flagship initiatives of UEF8. It is designed as a multidisciplinary and multicultural body, bringing together diverse perspectives to shape the future of urban transformation.
As expressed during the session:
“Above all… it’s a human platform.”
The Committee aims to foster collective intelligence, enabling a multidimensional understanding of cities and strengthening global collaboration across sectors and regions.
A Global Critical Mass of Expertise
The first Steering Committee reflects a remarkable diversity of expertise and geography, bringing together over 25 high-level members from North America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America.
Participants include representatives from:
- International organizations such as the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and UN system entities
- Global networks, including UCLG-MENA
- Academic institutions such as Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
- Financial, governance, and investment leaders
- Municipal leadership, including a former Mayor of Lowell (USA)
- Civil society voices from communities such as Regent Park (Toronto)
- Strategic platforms, including the BRICS Urban Future Forum
This composition underscores the Forum’s commitment to integrating policy, finance, academia, community leadership, and global governance into a single collaborative space.
Strategic Direction: From Growth to Capacity-Based Urban Development
A central highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the UEF8 Concept Note, introducing a transformative vision for urban development.
UEF8 will advance a paradigm shift from output-based growth models toward capacity-based urban development, focusing on cities’ ability to mobilize, govern, and sustain key resources.
Key pillars include:
- Human and social capital
- Land and spatial systems
- Infrastructure and service delivery
- Data and digital ecosystems
- Financial systems and governance
The Forum will function as a policy and investment interface, as well as a project incubation and acceleration platform, ensuring that outcomes go beyond dialogue to implementation and impact.
Emerging Priorities Identified by the Steering Committee
Members identified a set of strategic priorities shaping UEF8, including advancing urban decarbonization, strengthening financial systems and investment mechanisms, addressing inequality and informality, building capacity across cities in both the Global North and South, accelerating digital transformation, promoting youth inclusion and social equity, fostering peacebuilding and resilience, enhancing linkages between cities, finance and implementation, and advancing project-oriented, actionable urban solutions.
Leadership and Key Announcements
The Steering Committee welcomed the acceptance of Margareta Cederfelt, Member of Parliament of Sweden, as Chair of UEF8, reinforcing the Forum’s high-level political engagement and global credibility.
The meeting also featured the official unveiling of the UEF8 visual identity, presented by Hanieh Riyagi, Creative Art Director of UEF, signaling the launch of the Forum’s next phase.
Looking Ahead: Toward UEF8
The Steering Committee will play a key role in shaping the final concept and program of UEF8, with preparations underway for activities in Canada, the Forum’s expanding global footprint.
As UEF moves forward, the Steering Committee will continue to guide strategy, strengthen partnerships, and ensure that the Forum delivers concrete outcomes, reinforcing its role as a catalyst for urban transformation worldwide.
Media and institutional inquiries may be directed to Urban Economy Forum at
info@ueforum.org, and
UEF8@ueforum.org