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New initiative to help Fellows tackle challenges facing urban environments

Salzburg Global Seminar and World Urban Parks are excited to launch the Emerging Urban Leaders program.

This joint initiative brings together a diverse, cross-sectoral, and international cohort of practitioners and change-makers to help implement innovative, practical interventions to tackle the problems facing our urban environments.

With a focus on increasing well-being, access to green space, and equity in the city, the Emerging Urban Leaders program will tackle inequality and improve the quality of life for all urban space users.

Fellows will discuss with and be mentored by a wide range of established leaders from urban design, conservation, civil society, government, and health sectors.

Through open conversations with these leaders and each other, Fellows will expand and realize their leadership potential and increase their impact. In this way, the Emerging Urban Leaders program will address the issue of lack of representation for many groups at decision-making level within urban space.

The first cohort will begin on March 17, 2021, and will meet online every month for a year. This will be augmented with regular sessions with an assigned mentor and opportunities for exchange with the wider Salzburg Global and World Urban Parks’ communities.

Dominic Regester, the program director responsible for Emerging Urban Leaders, said, "Salzburg Global Seminar, along with World Urban Parks, are really excited to work with the 23 members of the first cohort of the Emerging Urban Leaders program.

"There was a lot of competition for places, and everyone involved in the selection process was really impressed by the quality of the ideas put forward and how they connect to the Sustainable Development Goals. We hope that participation in the program will help the first cohort with the realization of these ideas because they each have the potential to improve their cities."

Fellows in the first Emerging Urban Leaders cohort include:

• Shamsa Birik, Program Officer, Embassy of Norway, Kenya
• Elizaveta Fakirova, German Chancellor Fellow 2020/21, Humboldt Foundation, Germany
• Alvera Feeny, Senior Program Specialist, Children & Nature, National League of Cities, United States
• Renee Jagdeo, Student, University of Toronto, Canada
• Benjamin Jonah, Secretariat Coordinator/Program Coordinator, World Urban Parks/Alberta Recreation and Parks Association, Canada
• Sang-O Kim, Ph.D. Candidate, Cornell University, USA
• Letica Lozano, Co-Founder & Director, MACIA Estudio, Mexico
• Luis Roman, President & CEO/Funder & CEO, ANPR Mexico/Parks of Mexico, Mexico
• Brittany Trilford, Research Consultant, Prague Institute of Planning and Development, New Zealand / Austria
• Jordan van der Hagen, Founder & Vision Director, Duluth Waterfront Collective, United States
• Nourhan Yehia, Graduate, October University of Modern Sciences and Arts, Egypt
• Anupam Yog, Trainer & Researcher, Light On Life, Singapore
• Zane Šime, Policy Analyst, Latvia
• Mac Andre Arboleda, President, UP Internet Freedom Network, Philippines
• Christopher Bass, Assistant Director, City of Douglasville Parks and Recreation, USA
• Maria Gauto Gauto, Technical Assistant of “Asuncion Green City”, United Nations Development Programme, Paraguay
• Namhee Joo, Senior Researcher, International Heritage Education Center, South Korea
• Nella Lomotan, Co-Founder & Executive Director, Philippine Parks & Biodiversity, Philippines
• Samuel Mayze, Director of Strategic Projects, UAP Company, Australia
• Bishop Ngobeli, President, Institute of Environment and Recreation Management, South Africa
• Jinsu Park, Master’s Candidate, London School of Economics, South Korea/England
• Anjelica Sifuentes, Landscape Designer, Design Workshop, United States
• Stephanie Stanov, Program Coordinator, Park People, Canada

Find out more about the Emerging Urban Leaders Program. Keep up to date with further developments at Salzburg Global by registering for our newsletter.