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• 11 / 01 / 2007

The Second International Convention on Territorial Distribution and Urbanism is starting on Tuesday at Havana's Convention Center with the participation of specialists from 20 countries.

In statements to acn news agency, the Vice President of the Physical Planning Institute, Mirta Hernandez Gonzalez, said that the meeting is been attended by some 100 experts from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Canada, Chile, Spain, Mexico, Venezuela and Switzerland.

The participants at the Convention, which will run until November 2, will focus on the exchange of experiences in the field of territorial distribution and urbanism, and on its contribution to economic, social, environmental and cultural development.

One of the main topics of debate at the event, will be the promotion of initiatives for the development of human settlements, the fight against poverty, and the efforts undertaken to attain efficient urban management, territorial equality and social justice.

Representatives from the Sustainable Development and Human Settlements Division of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean have been invited to the meeting, as well as mayors, government officials, professors and researchers.

The Cuban contribution to the debates could be revealing taking into account that 75% of the island's population reside in urban settlements thanks to the efficient planning of big cities and the improvement of the quality of life in communities that were previously rural towns.

Executive Secretary of the United Nation's Program for the Habitat, Anna Tibaijuka, said in June this year during a visit to Havana, that Cuba's planning program is a model to follow by developing countries.

Source: Tiempo21