How can sovereign cities bring balance to globalisation?

While globalisation has been rapidly advancing cities, it has left rural areas and populations behind. We are depleting natural resources at a worrying rate. Socially, politically and environmentally, we are dangerously walking on the edge. Nation-states - and the international order built on top of them - have failed at tackling the growing complexity of our world.

As open laboratories for change, cities can be the leaders in creating the foundation for a resilient and sustainable economy.

We need cities to regulate the flows of wealth, people and data. Cities have an opportunity to go beyond and reconcile the divides between the rural and urban, the national and global. With the maker movement and digitally distributed production, industry has started its relocalization. Short food supply chains and urban agriculture are paving the way for greater food sovereignty. Pioneering city governments have engaged in a trial of strength with global platforms. Local communities are strengthening a new form of sovereignty and cities are the major experimental platforms, the open laboratories where change is happening.

Featured Speakers

Francesca Bria, as Chief Innovation Officer at the City of Barcelona, is putting technology in everyone’s hands to collectively solve urban challenges. Juan Pablo Ortega, as former Director of Ruta N, helped transformed Medellin into one of the most innovative cities in the world. Nanjira Sambuli, as Digital Equality Advocacy Manager at the Web Foundation, promotes digital equality in access to and use of the Web. Georgia Nicolau, as Founder and Director of The Procommun Institute, advocates for common goods, free culture and citizen innovation to become part of public agendas. Jonathan Steven, as Co-founder of the Impact Hub Kigali, is fighting to make economic and social development an inclusive, bottom-up process driven by communities. Liz Corbin, as Co-founder of the Maker Assembly, is gathering and encouraging critical discussion about maker culture.

Some sparks of inspiration: a few reading (and watching) suggestions to get the conversation started

Climate change is a global problem that transcends borders. Benjamin Barber offers an inspiring approach claiming cities should be in charge of addressing this issue. The Guardian When nationalism seems to be taking over mainstream politics, what would happen if cities ruled the world? A fascinating look by Richard Florida on the role cities have to defend their citizens face to new global challenges. The Atlantic City Lab How much influence has a mayor over its city? Discover how Anne Hidalgo Is Future-Proofing The City Of Light. By Missy Schwartz, Fast Company. Neal Gorenflo shares with us his theories about cities, how can we build the new story of cities, from marketplaces to commons.OuiShare TV

In this short filmed interview, Saskia Sassen gives a general introduction to her early research on the Global City and explains how the concept is still relevant today. Visit our site for more information about the program and our speakers. Hope to see you this July at the OuiShare Fest!