Violence in the metropolis: responses to a global issue

Metropolises are the hubs that bring our societies together. Our cities and metropolitan areas are the backdrop for the contradictions of our time. On the one hand, they are home to the majority of the planet's population and offer a range of opportunities; on the other hand, they produce harmful emissions, generate waste and exacerbate inequality and conflict. They are complex spaces in which numerous expressions of violence, characteristic to urban spaces, occur; yet, they are, as well, the birthplace of unique and meaningful initiatives for coexistence.

It is equally important to identify types of urban violence in order to address the risks they pose to peaceful coexistence and the well-being of the population, as it is to encourage and reinforce inspiring responses to urban conflict that can serve as a reference point both in our cities and around the world.

Given the current context of the COVID-19 crisis, how can we rethink the strategic elements of metropolitan management to improve our coexistence in terms of urban services, social services, employment, public space, governance, mobility, energy, education, health and social protection?

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