NetworkNature is proud to have been a sponsor of the incredible and engaging 2024 The Nature of Cities Festival. The fourth edition of the Festival concluded with remarkable success, emphasizing knowledge-sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and actionable outcomes to shape the cities of tomorrow. The hybrid festival embodied The Nature of Cities' (TNOC) commitment to fostering resilient, sustainable, livable, and just communities by merging science, practice, and art into its vibrant programming.
The 2024 TNOC Festival exemplified how cities can be reimagined through collective action, creativity, and the integration of diverse perspectives.As we look to future editions, the festival will continue to inspire and mobilise a global community dedicated to creating better cities for nature and all people.
Festival Highlights (in-person only):
- 5 Plenary Sessions: Engaging dialogues featuring thought leaders in urban sustainability and resilience.
- 120+ Parallel Sessions: Diverse topics ranging from nature-based solutions (NbS) to urban art and placemaking.
- 23 Field Trips: Immersive experiences exploring Berlin’s innovative urban and ecological landscapes.
- 3 Farm to Table Dinners: Celebrations of local cuisine and community connections.
- 450+ Participants: A global gathering of experts, practitioners, artists, and activists.
Key Themes and Discussions
- Women Leading Sustainability Conversations: Women took center stage, driving discussions on sustainability and equity, underscoring their pivotal role in shaping future cities.
- Nature-based Solutions (NbS): NbS were a central theme throughout the festival, with workshops, discussions, and interactive sessions emphasizing their importance in urban planning and climate resilience.
- Outstanding Latin American Participation: Latin American cities and communities showcased innovative approaches to urban sustainability, highlighting their unique contributions and challenges.
- Epistemic Justice: The festival called for increased efforts to recognize and integrate diverse knowledge systems, ensuring that marginalized voices are included in urban development dialogues.
- EU Horizon/2020 Projects and Missions: Significant contributions from various EU Horizon 2020 projects, such as JUSTNatureProject, VARCITIES, GoGreenRoutes, UNPplus, and Interlace.
NetworkNature and TNOC Collaboration
As part of the NetworkNature consortium, TNOC Festival served as a pivotal platform to bring together key NbS stakeholders to amplify efforts to integrate NbS into different levels and audiences. This collaboration underscores the shared mission to enhance cities for both people and nature.
Nature-based Solutions Hubs meeting at TNOC Festival
NetworkNature used the stage to showcase their project outcomes, in particular how NbS hubs are creating healthier and greener cities Across Europe. 9 hubs (Polish, Hungarian, Nordic, Scottish, Spanish, Ukrainian, South Eastern Europe, Italian and Caucasus) shared their learnings via a session featuring local NbS site visits, technical perspectives, and policy implications. The session was accompanied by an ongoing poster exhibition.
NetworkNature is working with local partners to establish and support the launch of additional NbS hubs! These hubs bring researchers policy-makers, businesses, and the public sector together to create long-lasting structures for NbS uptake, foster capacity building and knowledge exchange, build relationships and new partnerships, and create a nuanced understanding of NbS and address local specificities of barriers and opportunities for NbS.
There are two types of hubs being established with support from NetworkNature: a member state hub consists of networks and actors from multiple regions within a Member State; a European regional hub consists of networks and actors in a geographic region from multiple Member States with similar planning or landscape contexts. Learn more by visiting the hub section of the NetworkNature platform.
The People Behind TNOC Festival
The festival is the brainchild of The Nature of Cities' David Maddox, Claudia Misteli, M’Lisa Colbert, Carmen Bouyer, and Patrick Lydon, with invaluable contributions from curators worldwide, including Ana Faggi, Kevin Lunzalu, Jean-Marie Cishahayo, Maria Aragão, JD Brown, Hita Unnikrishnan, Amanda Vincelli, Gitty Korsuize, Gareth Moore-Jones, Diana Wiesner, Sonia Rios, Devansh Jain, McKenna Davis, Tim Lueschen, and many more.
Stay Connected
To stay involved with The Nature of Cities Festival and continue the conversation on urban resilience and sustainability, follow TNOC on social media, subscribe to their newsletter, or reach out to Claudia Misteli.
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For more information, visit The Nature of Cities Festival.