In June, Europe’s most important conference for sustainable cities is coming to Stuttgart. The Urban Future is the start of a series of exciting events on the subject of sustainability, green tech and green city: The question is: How do we make our cities better? The invitation of the initiators to the citizens of the city is clear:
Have a say, participate, have a say!
In the summer of 2023, everything in Stuttgart revolves around sustainable urban development. Numerous events deal with the topic of sustainability and quality of life. The Urban Future Conference (#UF23) will kick off June 21-23.
It brings around 3,000 passionate CityChangers from all over the world to Stuttgart. They exchange knowledge, experiences and visions on how life in our cities can become more sustainable.
The participants come from politics, business, industry as well as NGOs and associations. They exchange ideas about how change succeeds or what causes us to fail. There are specialists from fields such as mobility, energy, real estate & construction, urban planning or resource management who meet at #UF23 on an equal footing – regardless of organizational form or hierarchy.
“Visitors will experience Stuttgart as an open and forward-looking metropolis,” says Martin Körner. The head of the policy department for climate protection, mobility and housing continues: “We expect new impetus for our city from Urban Future.”
Green City Stuttgart: residents of should have a say
“Each individual can change something great in their city,” Urban Future CEO and co-founder Gerald Babel-Sutter is convinced. That’s why #UF23 is also about inviting Stuttgart’s residents to take part in the discourse. As part of the “Urban Future Week” you have the opportunity to get to know urban initiatives and their representatives and to put various sustainability projects in Stuttgart to the test.
St. Maria Church laboratory in focus
One location is the St. Maria Church, in which the real laboratory is the focus. “Real laboratories are experimental workshops in which citizens work together with scientists on solutions for a sustainable city,” explains Elke Uhl from the International Center for Cultural and Technological Research (IZKT) at the University of Stuttgart.
“The aim is to learn together that we can make our cities more sustainable, fairer and more beautiful”. On Thursday afternoon (June 22), a public discussion will question what the format will bring and what lessons can be learned for the future. With the “Future City Lab”, the real laboratory for sustainable mobility culture, the Stuttgart women illuminate a prominent reference example. In the “Fishbowl Discussion” from St. Maria, tacheles is spoken: What is the next step? Thursday, June 22, 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m., St. Maria Church, Tübinger Str. 36, 70178 Stuttgart
City change goes through the stomach
A third of our food ends up in the trash. The Bürgerstiftung Stuttgart shows that this does not have to be the case. Together with the #UF23, Managing Director Irene Armbruster initiates the “Long Table” on Wednesday (6/21) from 6:00 p.m. 200 visitors can take a seat at the “Food-Rescue Banquet” starting from Österreichischer Platz via Tübinger Straße.
Two cooks and a group of volunteers prepare a vegetarian dish from rescued food on site, which can be eaten together in the open air for a donation. Attention hungry city dwellers: because #UF23 is all about networking, the Lange Tafel also offers (limited) space for citizens of Stuttgart.
Questions and registration at info@buergerstiftung-
Food-Fighter Festival
Another public highlight during the “Summer of Sustainability” invites the women of Stuttgart to the cinema.
The documentary “Food Fighter” tells the story of one of the most inspiring changers of our time. Australian Ronni Kahn has made it her life’s work to prevent food from being wasted.
This documentary shows their journey – and what a single person can achieve. Ronni Kahn is a speaker at #UF23 and will be there on the movie night to present what drives her, how a one-woman show became a global phenomenon and how she managed with her organization OzHarvest to save 20 million meals from the garbage to rescue.
Friday, June 23, Bollwerk cinema (Hohe Str. 26, 70176 Stuttgart), beginning at 6:00 p.m. The event is free!
Dancing for the climate
Stuttgart becomes a stage. Together with the Stuttgart State Theater and the Stuttgart City Palace, the “Office for Environmental Protection” offers the “Climate Action Day”, where art and theater lovers in particular get their money’s worth. A day full of stage spectacles, installations or short films dealing with climate change, energy, mobility and lifestyle is offered. Public art will be complemented by a series of workshops, discussions and a ‘market of opportunities’.
“Visitors should take concrete measures with them on how we can make our own lifestyle more climate-friendly,” says the Office for Environmental Protection. The day culminates in a party for changers – details to follow!
Friday, June 23rd, Upper Castle Garden, from 12:00 p.m
Joining Forces: Partnerships with IBA’27, Ikea WWF & Co.
More than 210 international companies, organizations and companies are partners of #UF23. These include Ikea, Mercedes Benz Group, C40, WWF Cities, MHP – A Porsche Company, PD – Public Sector Advisor and the European Green Capitals Tallinn (2023) and Lahti (2021). Special thanks to Ikea, who sponsor part of the #UF23 Expo Lounge.
The organizers are happy about the agreement that the furniture will be donated to regional NGOs after the conference and thus receive a “second life”. If you are interested, please contact the Bürgerstiftung Stuttgart.
Another regional partner of the Urban Future conference is the international building exhibition IBA’27, which opens its program after #UF23. Some selected construction projects of the IBA Festival are already a fixed part of the Urban Future Field Trips