ASSOCIATION OF MUNICIPALITIES AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITIES (AMDA)

EVENT DAIRY

In February 2008, India Habitat Centre and Mirabilis Advisory conceived the idea to launch an Urban Habitats Forum - a professional civil society initiative whose primary purpose would be to serve as a multi-disciplinary public awareness and educational platform, and to facilitate positive change in India’s cities by engaging all stakeholders of society in shaping India’s built environment.

It has been developed with a view that sustainable urban development necessarily needs a shared vision of the future. Such a vision will lead to the creation of a manifesto of citizens’ aspirations that can guide policy and programmes. Underpinning its commitment to developing an alternative urban vision and agenda that considers liveability and sustainability as key parameters for success in the development of India’s cities, the Forum is co-hosting the first ‘Habitat Summit’ with the India Habitat Centre from September 24-26 2009.

The ‘Summit’ has been designed as a communication vehicle to position key policy issues as well as to highlight opportunities for positive change by showcasing community-oriented community urban regeneration projects The ‘Summit’ has been conceived as a replicable/exportable model which the Urban Habitats Forum intends to expand across India’s capital cities by 2012.

The Urban Habitats Forum Fellows Programme is designed to provide talented students and young professionals between the ages of 18 and 35 with an interest in urban issues with financial sponsorship covering their delegate fees to attend the 1st Habitat Summit (www.habitatsummit.org)

Young professionals include but are not limited to – real estate professionals, architects, journalists, development professionals, policy makers and social entrepreneurs. We also strongly encourage students from the liberal arts, management, engineering and IT related fields. Visit www.habitatsummit.org/fellows for more information