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The challenge of scale: William Cobbett to give Deans lecture at the University of Melbourne
Cities Alliance head and former United Nations settlements expert William Cobbett will share his perspective on the challenges of urbanization in the next Melbourne School of Design Dean’s Lecture for 2010.
To register for this free public lecture email: abp-events@unimelb.edu.au
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David Scott
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The Manager of Cities Alliance since 2006, Cobbett will speak at the University of Melbourne on Tuesday May 11 to discuss the challenge of scale in an urbanising world, and what this means for land, services and citizenship.
“Latin America has largely completed its urban transition, a legacy with which it is now grappling, at huge cost,” says Cobbett. ”In the next three decades, a similar transformation will take place throughout sub-Saharan Africa, south Asia and south-east Asia. “
“However, the general response of most national governments has been to regard urbanisation as a problem, something to be managed or controlled. Yet no country has attained middle income status without urbanising and industrialising.”
Chair in Urban Planning at the University of Melbourne Professor Richard Tomlinson says “William’s intellectual contribution to the Cities Alliance, based on his experiences with community struggles, significant policy experience and applied expertise, are of consequence for us all.”
Cities Alliance is a global coalition of cities and their development partners committed to scaling up successful approaches to poverty reduction, working towards ‘cities without slums.’ Prior to joining in 2001 Cobbett worked for the United Nations Human Settlements Programme in Nairobi, where he had designed and launched the Global Campaign for Secure Tenure. Born in South Africa he was overall coordinator of Planact, an urban NGO providing policy and technical support to civic organisations and trades unions.
He moved to the African National Congress (ANC) headquarters in 1992, where he was National Coordinator of the Department of Local and Regional Government, and Housing. After the 1994 General election, he was appointed Director General of the National Department of Housing. Prior to joining the United Nations, he was Director of Housing for Cape Town.
Event Details:
William Cobbett (Cities Alliance)
“The Challenge of Scale in an Urbanising World”
Tuesday 11 May 2010, 7pm
Carrillo Gantner Theatre
Basement, Sidney Myer Asia Centre
The University of Melbourne
