Latest News

Salzburg Global Seminar collaborates with World Urban Parks to celebrate World Parks Week for second consecutive year

Salzburg Global Seminar and World Urban Parks have teamed up once again to celebrate World Parks Week.

Staff and Salzburg Global Fellows have taken part in webinars this week that support the idea that urban parks, and green spaces are fundamental to addressing urban quality of life challenges.

For this year’s celebration – April 24 to May 2 – people are encouraged to think “hyperlocal” and reflect on what their local neighborhoods have to offer.

In many cases, restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic have meant people have had to reacquaint themselves with their local area over the past year. However, there is also growing support for people to have access to a nearby park and their basic needs within a 10-minute journey.

Back in June 2017, Salzburg Global Fellows called on leaders to ensure all children enjoy the right to safe free play in a nature-rich space within a 10-minute walk from home. This call to action features in the Salzburg Statement on the Child in the City: Health, Parks and Play.

This year, World Park Week encourages activities like reading books about nature and the outdoors, visiting nearby parks, and thinking of ways hyperlocal spaces can help address individual and community health.

On Thursday, April 29, Salzburg Global and World Urban Parks hosted two webinars titled “Urban Parks, Urban Futures: Why Parks and Urban Green Spaces are Fundamental to Quality of Life in Cities Around the World.” The webinars took place at different times to try and make them as accessible as possible for people in different parts of the world.

Both webinars saw panelists draw on the latest research and examples from policy and practice. They also presented multiple resources and advocacy tools to help argue for urban parks in terms of benefits for health and wellness, childhood development, economic opportunity, stronger communities and climate resilience.

For the first session, moderated by Salzburg Global’s Jennifer Dunn, panelists included Bettina Borisch, a professor at the University of Geneva; Anupam Yog, a trainer, and researcher at Light On Life, Singapore; and Kevin Roth, vice president, research, evaluation and technology, National Recreation and Parks Association, USA.

For the second session, moderated by World Urban Parks’ Chair Jayne Miller, panelists included Irene Gauto, technical assistant of “Asuncion Green City,” United Nations Development Programme, Paraguay; Breece Robertson, director of partnerships and strategy, Center for Geospatial Solutions, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; and (making his second appearance of the day) Kevin Roth , vice president, research, evaluation and technology, National Recreation and Parks Association, USA.

Borisch, Gauto, Miller, and Yog are all Salzburg Global Fellows. Gauto and Yog are members of the inaugural cohort of Emerging Urban Leaders, a new Salzburg Global program organised in partnership with World Urban Parks.

Reflecting on Salzburg Global’s participation in World Parks Week, Interim Program Lead Dominic Regester said, “The experiences of many cities during 2020 have really highlighted the importance of urban parks. We really value our partnership with World Urban Parks and it was great to be able to work with them, NRPA and all of the other contributors on these advocacy webinars.  I am really happy that we could offer something to World Parks Week in this way.”

To find out more about this year’s World Parks Week, please visit the official website, which contains details of other webinars and activities taking place.