The Chisinau Urban Social Forum -2023, which will take place on 4, 5, and 6 May in the capital, has an ambitious agenda, focusing on 7 fundamental directions of development that meet the social needs of the city’s inhabitants.
Healthy city – During the panel there will be discussed topics related to urban development oriented towards health and well-being. Local and international experts will provide recommendations for actions necessary for the city of Chisinau to meet the profile of a healthy city, based on the description by the World Health Organization.
At the same time, it will be presented the ambition of the municipality of Chisinau to join the initiative of the World Health Organization – European Healthy Cities Network and to take over examples of good practices of medical-social programs, prevention, and promotion of a healthy lifestyle.
A creative city is a city that promotes and supports creativity and innovation, fosters collaboration and local community involvement in the urban development process, and invests in culture and the arts. Chisinau wants to adopt inspired urban design and aims to develop creative hubs, special places, and venues, organize festivals and support residents’ participation in the city’s transformation. There are many cities aiming to become creative cities, and these can provide inspiring examples and practices for Chisinau.
Safe city – The municipality of Chisinau is one of the first members of the recently launched initiative “Making Cities Resilient 2030”, carried out in partnership with the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR). In the context of the global and regional crises to which we have been exposed in recent years, it has become imperative to adopt additional measures to reduce the risk of disasters.
During the dedicated panel, there will be outlined the mechanisms to prevent all risks, as well as the directions of action necessary for a safe, resilient and sustainable city.
An inclusive city is a city that provides equal access to social, economic, and political opportunities for all residents, regardless of economic status, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or other distinguishing characteristics. The forum will discuss how the city of Chisinau can ensure the spatial, economic, and social inclusion of its inhabitants by adopting European policies and best practices in this field, which will be shared by notable personalities who have changed systems and policies around the world. The panel will pay particular attention to measures for the integration of Ukrainian refugees into the local community.
The Learning City – Lifelong learning is an essential component of the city’s human capital development. In 2020 Chisinau became an active member of the International Network of Learning Cities under the aegis of UNESCO Learning Cities, and today we have already opened the first Centre for Adult Learning and Education in the capital, in collaboration with DVV International, the representative of the German Adult Education Association.
In this context, the agenda of the forum will include topics related to lifelong learning as well as European best practices in this field.
City of generations – Chisinau aims to become an intergenerational city, friendly to both young and old generations, through synergistic initiatives and programs aimed at creating an urban society for all ages. Representatives of the responsible institutions will discuss with the experts present at the forum about policies and programs that enhance interaction, cooperation, and exchange of experience between people of different generations, which will allow them to share their talents, and resources, and provide mutual support in ongoing relationships focused on the needs of all residents.
Energy-efficient city – The city of Chisinau aims to adopt the necessary measures to contribute to the achievement of the 7th Sustainable Development Goal by doubling the energy efficiency rate. Accelerated urbanization can lead to an increase in energy demand and this can be a cause for concern in the context of the current global energy crisis and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to combat climate change. To meet these challenges, cities should implement innovative and sustainable solutions to become more energy efficient. Foreign and local experts will discuss efficiency measures, experience, and progress in cities at the forum in a dedicated panel.
The event will involve local and international social actors, who will exchange knowledge and experiences in order to develop the city and transform it into an inclusive, safe, prosperous, creative, energy-efficient capital with equal opportunities for all, in line with the main principle of the Sustainable Development Goals of “leaving no one behind”, as set by the Chisinau City Hall.
For more details about the event, speakers, and topics included in the Agenda, please visit —
Let’s transform the city TOGETHER!