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INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE
FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN DEVELOPMENT |
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 88, October 2025 |
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Dear readers, ‘The illness of our cities and settlements today is the sad result of our failure to prioritise basic human needs over economic and industrial demands.’ This statement was made by Walter Gropius, the founder of the German art, design and architecture school, ‘Bauhaus’. However, this does not have to remain the case. This issue is all about sustainable urban development. In this article, we report on our support for Syrian urban planners within our MENA network following the end of the civil war. Good practices from Aswan in Egypt and Constantine in Algeria show how climate protection measures have been implemented step by step. We also explore how local authorities and their associations worldwide are accelerating the implementation of Agenda 2030 in their communities through sustainability reporting, known as Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), while raising their voices on this issue at the national and international levels. Additionally, we have compiled our practical experience from further learning processes into two guidelines at the end of this project phase: (1) How decision-makers can take a risk-aware approach in times of climate change and incorporate heat adaptation into their planning processes; and (2) how to integrate a gender perspective into planning processes and all municipal services. In November, we will summarise the learning experiences, innovative approaches and successful project work from the ‘Reuse of Modernist Public Buildings’ learning process for you. From 25 to 27 November, the dialogue event ‘Sustainable Mobility: The Interaction of Future-Oriented Forms of Mobility’ will mark the beginning of a new learning process, providing experts in this field with the opportunity to engage in intensive experience-sharing. We would also like to cordially invite you to our Connective Cities network meeting, which will take place in Bonn from 9 to 10 December 2025, as well as to the virtual ad hoc event on 2 December 2025: ‘Artificial Intelligence in Local Government: Opportunities and Challenges in an International Comparison’. If you are interested, please keep these dates free in December. Further information will be available shortly on our website and in the next issue of our newsletter. We hope you find this an inspiring read.
Your Connective Cities Team | | |
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REVIEW |
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Cities as pioneers for a sustainable, inclusive, and resilient future |
U20 Mayor Summit in Johannesburg from 12 to 15 September 2025 |
The cities of Johannesburg and Tshwane hosted this year’s Urban 20. At the invitation of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), representatives from the city of Bonn and Connective Cities participated in a panel discussion. The discussion emphasised the importance of accessible data, partnerships, and professional exchange. |
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Enhancing Local Governance for Climate Action in the MENA region |
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Review of the Insight Session held on 13 October 2025, |
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The Insight Session focused on framework planning and multi-stage implementation steps, highlighting best practice in ‘Developing an Integrated Framework of Measures Against Heat in Aswan, Egypt’ and ‘Improving Pedestrian-Friendliness and Transit-Oriented Development in Constantine, Algeria’. The project’s success was driven by decentralised cooperation and knowledge exchange within the framework of global partnerships. |
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Building New Bridges: Integration of Syrian cities
in Connective Cities regional network |
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Connective Cities organized a workshop in Amman on the 18-19 August 2025 |
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With the overarching theme of ‘Municipal knowledge exchange on integrated urban planning, sustainable infrastructure and digital municipal services’ in mind, representatives from the provinces of Damascus and Rif Damascus presented updates on their current urban planning projects. They also discussed the challenges involved in pursuing a long-term vision for sustainable development. |
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INSIGHTS |
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| | Strengthening the voice of cities and
accelerating the implementation of the SDGs |
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Documentation of the Connective Cities learning process on local and regional sustainability reporting from 2 December 2024 to 25 September 2025 |
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The learning process aimed to improve the preparation of VLRs and VSRs, accelerate the implementation of the SDGs, and ultimately promote dialogue between the local, regional, and national levels by facilitating an international exchange of experiences. The regional diversity of the participants, who contributed perspectives and practical examples from South America, sub-Saharan Africa, Germany, Southeastern Europe, and Asia, enriched the discussion and contributed to the success of the process. |
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| | Cities Leading by Example |
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A Guidebook on Risk-Informed Planning and Heat Mitigation |
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Cities play a dual role in climate change. On the one hand, they contribute significantly to it. On the other hand, they are particularly vulnerable to its effects. This guide showcases best practice and is intended for local authorities, urban planners, and policymakers seeking to adopt a risk-aware approach and incorporate heat adaptation into their planning processes. |
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| | Municipal Observatory for Gender Mainstreaming |
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A guide for municipalities in the MENA region |
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Based on a model developed by the National Federation of Tunisian Municipalities and its partners, this guide offers a consistent and practical approach to promoting gender equality, integrating a gender perspective into all municipal services. As well as policy measures and projects, the aim is to initiate a cultural shift in which gender mainstreaming is seen as a fundamental pillar of equitable and effective local governance, rather than an additional service. |
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OUTLOOK |
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| | Sustainable mobility – combination of future-proof mobility forms |
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Call for participants: Connective Cities dialogue event
from 25 to 27 November 2025 in Bonn, Germany |
The global transport transition is essential for a sustainable future. The event brings together experts from cities, counties and municipalities and supports them in the international exchange of expertise on the interaction of sustainable forms of mobility. It marks the start of a year-long learning process, during which participating municipalities are also invited to take part in further optional activities. |
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| | A paradigm shift in the construction sector: reuse instead of demolition |
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What has become of the former Hilton Hotel in Nairobi, which has been left vacant? |
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The renovation of public buildings from the 1960s and 1970s, or their conversion for a new purpose, instead of demolition, holds great potential. It is one of the outcomes of the year-long learning process ‘Reuse of Modernist Public Buildings’ run by Connective Cities. Read our summary in November to find out more about innovative approaches and successful project work in five countries for a sustainable, circular construction sector. |
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| | Artificial intelligence in local governments:
opportunities and challenges in an international comparison |
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Virtual expert exchange on 02 December 2025 |
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The use of artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly important for local governments. AI opens up new possibilities for action, from making administrative processes more efficient to enabling data-driven decisions in urban development, resource use and citizen participation. However, questions also arise about ethical standards, transparency, and social inclusion. Join the discussion in our international exchange of experiences! |
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Connective Cities is a joint project of: |
Association of German Cities
Gereonstraße 18 – 32, 50670 Köln | Deutschland
Kontakt: Sabine Drees
Email: sabine.drees@staedtetag.de Engagement Global gGmbH
Service Agency Communities in One World
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Kontakt: Sibylle Loyeau
Email: sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Kontakt: Ricarda Meissner
Email: ricarda.meissner@giz.de |
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