World Cities Week

Join us for a week of exciting events and hands-on activities as we explore the future of cities together. Co-hosted by the Future Cities Institute and Turkstra Chair in Urban Engineering, World Cities Week is designed for students to engage with cutting-edge ideas in urban development, sustainability, and innovation. From thought-provoking talks to creative challenges, this is your chance to connect with experts, collaborate with peers, and envision the cities of tomorrow.

Why Attend?

World Cities Week is your gateway to the future of urban spaces. Whether you're passionate about sustainability, technology, or social equity, this week offers you the tools, inspiration, and networks to help shape the cities of tomorrow. Don't miss the chance to:

• Engage in hands-on learning experiences
• Collaborate with experts and peers
• Explore future career opportunities
• Unleash your creativity

World City Week Events & Activities:

Please find the schedule below and as a PDF here.

Turkstra Talk: Join Leia Minaker, Director of the Future Cities Institute as she shares the vision for future cities in her talk on "The Future Cities Institute: Applied, interdisciplinary problem solving in cities." This is part of the monthly Turkstra Talks, and an opportunity to network with the speaker. Lunch provided.
When and where: October 28 11:30 am - 1:00 pm in E2-2350.

Movie Afternoon: Come on in and enjoy the documentary on "Future Cities: The Quest for Sustainable Urban Living" by SLICE EARTH. Susan Brown will help moderate a discussion on your thoughts and reflections. Popcorn/chips/pop provided.
When and where: October 28 3:00 - 4:30 pm in E2-2350.

Agree-Disagree Spectrum Activity: Adrian Buttazzoni and Eryn Stewart will invite participants to share their positions on key city-building topics and stand along a spectrum from agree to disagree. This activity will generate lively discussions and allow us to explore diverse viewpoints in cities. Snacks provided.
When and where: October 29 9:30 - 10:30 am in E2-2350

LEGO Activity: Build Your Own City: Engineers build cities! While you can get to do that throughout your careers, Nadine Ibrahim will provide LEGO baseplates and LEGO bricks to build your own city models. Bring your creativity with you to this session and have fun! Pizza lunch provided.
When and where: October 29 2:00 - 3:30 pm in E2-2350

Sustainability eBooks: Nadine Ibrahim will share the eBook compilations on sustainability in cities that are created annually by the students in CIVE 230 - Engineering and Sustainable Development. Brandon Schupp will join to share his contributions to the eBook and his experience as an editor. Lunch provided.
When and where: October 30 11:00 am - 12:00 pm in E2-2350

LSP Resilience Activity: Future cities require adaptations to climate change. One of the much needed skills is resilience. Nadine Ibrahim will facilitate an activity using the LEGO Serious Play Method (LSP) on resilience. Snacks provided.
When and where: October 30 2:00 - 3:30 pm in E2-2350

Career Exploration in Municipalities: An insightful career panel event, held by Halton Region representatives, Andrew Farr and Kendra Miller to discover the diverse career pathways within the public sector and gain valuable insight into the skills and qualifications to excel in these roles. Snacks provided.
When and where: October 31 10:30 am - 12 pm in E2-2350

UWaterloo "In-Residence" Roles for Future Cities: Engineer-in-Residence (Andrew Farr), Planner-in-Residence (Jason Thorne), and Practitioner-in- Residence (Helen Kerr) share their future vision for cities. The session will be moderated by Mark Seasons & Nadine Ibrahim. Snacks provided.
When and where: November 1 9:30 - 10:30 am in E2-2350

Climate Justice: Mathieu Feagan, Altay Coskun and Nadine Ibrahim introduces Climate Justice and provide an overview of the Climate Justice Working Group. The session includes a LEGO activity to reflect on climate justice from personal perspectives. Lunch provided.
When and where: November 1 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm in E2-2350