Transforming Philippine Cities: An Integrative Foresight Course for Women City Leaders

Many are worried that our concepts of resilience, city planning and urban regeneration are very male oriented and societal, city futures worldviews are patriarchal. So what would Philippine cities be like if they were designed by women? Will we have massive towers and bridges or will we have more sites or spaces and priorities that are child friendly, safe for mother and babies and gender sensitive? At a macro level, what would our streets, communities, priorities and neighborhood look like in a women imagined alternative city futures? What might be their preferences? What myth and narratives of resilience, planning and design could surface when the future of our cities are re-imagined and reconstructed by women? What elements of current planning should change? What are the influencers and drivers of a women driven city futures?

The World Futures Studies Federation (WFSF), the UNESCO Participation Programme, the PhilForesight, Northwestern University, Step Beyond, the Center for Engaged Foresight in partnership with the University of Northern Philippines as our principal host will explore these questions in the second Philippine city futures course on June 24-27 Vigan City.

Specifically, the objectives of this course are:

1. Introduce futures thinking and strategic foresight as an emerging concept, tool and technique in city futures, strategic planning, public policy, decision-making and development;

2. Engage participants in the exploration and construction of alternative and preferred city futures;

3. The focus is to enable participants and cities to design their own strategic pathways and enhance their foresight capacities for adaptive response and strategic renewal in a climate change era.

For more information, reservation and official invitation please email us at [email protected] or call us at Northwestern University with trunk lines: (077) 670-85-10, 670-86-07 to 10 TeleFax Number: (077) 670-68-64/771-38-14