"I think in the future we need cities to collaborate much more, to help each other, to share, to be more generous so that we learn what works and adapt it," Gil Penalosa, former Toronto mayoral candidate and influential urbanist, tells Sputnik on the sidelines of the 2024 Cloud City BRICS International Innovation Forum currently taking place in Moscow.
Penalosa also praises Moscow for its public spaces, the quality of sidewalks, plazas, and parks, noting that cities can learn valuable lessons from one another’s successes.
He highlights the diversity of urban development within BRICS nations. While cities in countries like Russia and China have advanced infrastructure and public services, others, like Brazil and South Africa, are working to address challenges related to inequality.
"BRICS provides an opportunity for countries to learn from each other so that their cities will be more sustainable, equitable, and playful," Penalosa adds. Through cooperation, these cities can address pressing issues like population growth and sustainability.
Sputnik is the forum’s general information partner.