KOCHI: Kerala will host the country’s first-ever Urban Conclave, which aims to formulate and finalise an urban policy for the state, in Kochi on September 12 and 13. The event, among other things, will serve as a platform to discuss the recommendations of the Kerala Urban Policy Commission.
The international conclave, themed ‘Aspiring cities, thriving communities’, will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on September 12. Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh will preside over the ceremony. Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar will be the chief guest.
Public Works and Urban Development Ministers from Sri Lanka and South Africa, mayors from Maldives, South Africa, Nepal and Sri Lanka will also participate in the two-day conclave.
Key delegates include Kim Lua of Global Designing Cities Initiative, Africa and India lead; Martin Grisel, director of European Urban Knowledge Network; Thomas George, global lead-urban at UNICEF; and Dr E Narayanan, consultant, World Bank.
“The conclave aims to discuss the challenges and possibilities of rapid urbanisation. Cities in Kerala are expanding and becoming one large urban expanse, or a ‘mega-city’, due rapid and unique urbanisation.
Thus, an urban policy has to be formulated for the state,” Rajesh told the media in Kochi on Monday. An exhibition will be organised at Marine Drive from September 11 to 15