Stockholm+50: Culture as an enabler for sustainable urban development

Stockholm+50 commemorates the 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. By recognising the importance of multilateralism in tackling the Earth’s triple planetary crisis – climate, nature, and pollution – the international meeting aims to drive action towards a healthy planet for the prosperity of all. The ambition was to contribute to an increased pace in the transition to sustainable and green societies, more jobs and a balanced environment.

During Stockholm+50, White Arkitekter invited international guests to a conversation on how culture can be an enabler in sustainable development and urban planning. During the conversation, two award-winning and acclaimed projects were presented; The GoDown Arts Center in Nairobi which has been acknowledged at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), an architectural prize competition often called “the World Cup in architecture”, and Sara Cultural Center, celebrated as ”Best Architecture of the Year” by The Guardian in 2021.

Participants in the conversation included Joy Mboya, CEO and Founder of The GoDown Arts Center, and Fransesca Quartey, acting CEO of the Västerbotten theater company.

– An inspiring dialogue across the continents of Africa, Americas and Europe shows we are dealing with same challenges, slightly different amplitudes but most importantly we learn a lot from each other when sharing our different experiences, says Carl Bäckstrand, Deputy CEO at White Arkitekter.

– In Europe we have just seen the launch of New European Bauhaus where culture and architecture play the central role in implementing a green transition. This shows how culture is an enabler to the sustainability agenda and without listening carefully we will have big problems to stay within the planetary boundaries. This was a message from not only the roundtable discussion but also from some plenaries at Stockholm+50, says Carl Bäckstrand, Deputy CEO at White Arkitekter.