SFU Launches We the City Community Summit Oct. 30th to Nov. 7th

Simon Frasier University’s We The City Summit kicked off its fourth major community summit Researching The City on October 30th 2015, where 19 presenters showcased their research projects in an interactive and engaging manner at SFU’s Harbour Center.

The night continued with a series of highly innovative and thought-provoking presentations, introduced by Executive Director of SFU Vancouver, Laurie Anderson and SFU Vice President of Research, Joy Johnson. Presented in five-minute segments, each researchers shared their work on how to improve Vancouver and engage citizens in the decision making process, as well as implement their Right To The City. The diverse and equally engaging research topics covered fields from the lives of black immigrants in Vancouver to HIV in the DTES and how to create a Regional Growth Strategies.

The SFU Public Square event will continue until November 7th. 2015. Each of the events explore city building and examine the roles that arts and culture, universities, housing, youth, Aboriginal people, research and innovation, community engagement, gender and literature can all play in creating thriving and distinct urban communities.

The Summit aims to profile the increasing pressure facing municipalities such as expanding urbanization as well as explore what holds people to urban cores.

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For more information on the We The City Summit and other events, visit the SFU website.

Ulduz Maschaykh is an art/urban historian with an interest in architecture, design and the impact of cities on people’s lives. Through her international studies in Bonn (Germany), Vancouver (Canada) and Auckland (New Zealand) she has gained a diverse and intercultural understanding of cultures and cities. She is the author of the book—The Changing Image of Affordable Housing: Design, Gentrification and Community in Canada and Europe.