Urban + Future Club aims at mainstreaming ideas and actions related to sustainability in lifestyles, investments, economic growth, and prosperity by shifting the focus from an exclusively profit orientation of development, to also include social, environmental, and cultural factors. The club’s activities will focus on developing creative, balanced and achievable solutions to the social, economic, environmental and equity challenges facing the nations today.
Introduction
Humanity is facing unprecedented global challenges that are transnational in nature. At this time, our world is facing a huge transformation, where previous elements of life are being met with serious challenges increasingly. As a result, society needs to prepare for these rapid changes. To prepare for these changes, it is crucial to illuminate current concepts that lay in the world’s present situation. For example, what kind of changes do we expect? What is the direction of these changes in our world? The development benefits the world has gained over the years have been hit by the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, affecting health, education, income, and prosperity in general. In this situation a more ambitious approach should be called for addressing poverty, inequality, and climate change, and establishing peace and justice.
The Covid-19 pandemic makes it urgent to accelerate the need for systemic change: how humans need to change and consider new lifestyles since business as usual is no longer an option. A new lifestyle is not just a new way of life after COVID-19, but a resilient way of life for future challenges the world may face. Humans have always been smart and innovative. However, the world after COVID-19 is unlikely to return to the world that it was, and hence it is time we use our focus and knowledge to actively tackle the challenges that will affect the world before they accumulate.
Our program, Urban + Future aims to bring people together to build a resilient lifestyle not only at the individual level, but for the communities, children, the environment, and the future in general. We understand how knowledge, innovation, and technology play vital roles in understanding global changes and challenges and how they can provide solutions to strengthen the society. Individuals and change makers with this kind of common understanding and common goals need an organized community to collaborate as well as to mobilize others.
Our initiative is not just to have an impact on the urban future, but the future itself. This community of people who drive change, of committed individuals working together to create a strong and colourful network of perspectives and voices will be the first step in lifestyle transformation.
Solving the global crises relies on, in one way or another, changing human behavior. To encourage new behaviours, and to see the results of the behavioural change, we need a platform dedicated to sharing knowledge, innovation, and creativity.
Description
The process of obtaining our goal includes creating a great network of people or a platform to present each other’s values and experiences. As a result, this will create a collaborative and advocative voice for transformation towards a better world for the future. The group members will communicate and interpret each other's understandings and make a synergy toward the addressing of sustainability, and environmental issues such as global warming, climate change, and the negative impacts of unbridled consumption. Today more than ever, we need to understand how our lifestyle choices impact the world around us and find ways for everyone to live better.
Group members understand the need to work together to bring under one umbrella the variety of approaches to development to analyze and recognize different dimensions of challenges and possible solutions. Members of the club are expected to take a proactive stand on responsibility. Acting responsible as members of Urban + Future means that they act responsibly and not intentionally harm any individual or the society at large. They are expected to act sustainably, both in regards to the environment and societal influence. The members will be committed to society and the media. With a correct and proper platform, group members can understand the opportunities and barriers in achieving sustainable development and focus on the fundamentals for building a more resilient lives and lifestyles and it can provide them a cumulative platform for facilitating the changes toward sustainable society. The Urban + Future club will focus on the “5 Pillars: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships. We think on a global scale, including the Global South and North, with an emphasis on growth of international links.
Goals
Vision
Group members will create a recognizable and stronger group for the public that can make changes and generate development impact within Canada and worldwide.
Mission
Group members will define pilot projects to present examples of approaches in addressing global challenges and to learn from experiences to strengthen their capacities and practices.
Why become a member?
By becoming a member of Urban + Future , you will be part of an unique network of problem solvers, have access to resources such as research and events, improve your project, get help in project implementation, be a part of a community with access to hundreds of global practitioners, experts and academics in urbanisation, Urban Economy and Finance and sustainable development and contribute to practical solutions for a sustainable living and an alternative lifestyle.
Membership Benefits
Membership Fee
U+F Club membership fee is annual, $5,000 CAD.
Structure
Group members will get annual membership, two- and three-years membership also available. Urban + Future will have a president, treasurer, vice president, secretary, and an assembly made of participants. The working language of the Club will be English.
Who can be a member?
Individual Members who are above 18 years old, have some experience in related subjects and are interested in sustainable topics.
Organizations
To join Urban + Future Club, please register at info@urbanplusfuture.com