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’Future Cities, Today’
Confluence 2018 aims to raise the bar on conversations on the future of urbanisation
Emerging cities are the new drivers of the economy, with urbanization as the dominant force for global growth in recent decades. If cities of the past were shaped by people, cities of the future are likely to be shaped by people-focused ideas; and there are lots of competing ones about urban spaces of the future. Keeping this in view, reviewing current urban living trends is critical to understanding the shape and form of future habitats and addressing challenges related to cities of the future.
Confluence was instituted in 2013 as a thought leadership platform co-curated by Mahindra World City, with McKinsey India as Knowledge Partner. The idea was to provide an engaging forum to all the diverse stakeholders who participate in the creation of the fabric of urban ecosystems. The core objective of the conference is to catalyze participation, collaboration and an exchange of ideas on issues related to urban development, thereby enabling stakeholders to cross-learn and contribute in their areas of practice. Confluence seeks to redefine urban concepts and their practical implications for all-round development and quality of life.
Confluence 2018
Confluence 2018, scheduled on Thursday, February 15th, 2018, at The Oberoi, New Delhi, brings together young innovators and global thought leaders while exploring future perspectives and measures that could help shape new emerging cities. The theme for Confluence 2018 is ‘Cities On The Horizon’, which is anchored around new thinking, innovation and youthfulness. As India races towards an unprecedented growth in its urbanscapes, “Cities On The Horizon” aims to establish new thinking and technology as firm foundations on which this ambition needs to be nurtured. It seeks to acknowledge and present the myriad layers that make up a city, while celebrating the city as a living, breathing collective (versus a grid of streets, buildings and spaces). Humane, joyful yet based on deep insights and visionary thinking, this year’s theme brings together a never-before collective of diverse perspectives.
This year’s speakers represent different walks of urban life from across the world, ranging from technology to culture, and policy makers to business visionaries.
Shri. Hardeep Singh Puri, Hon’ble Minister of State, Housing and Urban Affairs, Government of India, will address Confluence 2018, to share his perspectives and India’s story of urbanisation during his keynote address.
This will be followed by distinguished global leaders sharing their viewpoints, including Mr. Shashank Mani Tripathi, the brain behind the Jagriti Yatra train journey which inspires India’s youth to participate in nation-building and community activities;
Ms. Carla Guerrera, who will share her experiences in leading award-winning, mixed-use masterplan projects, notably Toronto’s West Don Lands, which is among North America’s largest and most advanced urban revitalization efforts;
Professor Carlo Ratti from MIT (Boston), best known for his work on urban planning and architecture that blends design and technology in a more intuitive way;
Mr. Harj Dhaliwal, who will share his learnings from managing mega rail and infrastructure projects in complex and challenging environments. These sessions will also include Speed Talks by entrepreneurs who are actively driving change in our urban environments.
The last session of the evening - ‘The Paradigm Shift’ - will see visionaries expound and share their ideas and expectations on what an ideal future urbanscape should contain and celebrate. They are the ones who are setting the stage for what future cities of India should stand for, while creating awareness of the need for committed global partnerships based on collective sharing and learning.
This captivating session will see In-Conversation discussions between global visionaries - Shri. Piyush Goyal, Minister Of Railways And Coal, Government of India, who has been vocal about the need for smart mobility to optimise traffic, and the potential of electric vehicles;
Mr. Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, who has shared earlier his views on the need to reimagine urbanisation in India; and Professor Carlo Ratti, who is a leading voice in the debate on the impact of new technologies on urban life.
The genesis of Confluence – A though leadership platform by Mahindra World City
With Confluence, Mahindra World City aims to create an enduring forum for stakeholders of all things ‘urban’, going beyond current problems and needs. The idea is to encourage diversity of thought and opinion on city-creation, and generate ideas that transcend the boundaries of time, technology and generational evolution. The larger objective is to zero in on and evaluate the most pressing issues we see around us in our cities today, and discuss workable solutions for them.
An idea whose time has indeed come, Sustainable Urbanisation is a core philosophy at Mahindra Lifespaces, the real estate and infrastructure division of the Mahindra Group. Mahindra Lifespaces has pioneered inclusive and future-focused integrated cities that embody the Mahindra World City ethos of ‘Livelihood, Living and Life’. Today, as the global focus on urbanisation shifts towards a more equitable, inclusive and resource-efficient future, it is time to redefine our approach to building cities that will last.
For the past two editions, McKinsey India has brought its own body of research and insights to Confluence. This has helped drive an even more enriching exchange between stakeholders representing government, urban planners, consultants and practitioners, financiers, culture and corporates.
With its experience of setting up first-of-their-kind, self-contained, integrated cities in India, Mahindra World City brings a unique and practical perspective to the Sustainable Urbanisation agenda. We firmly believe that Confluence will pave the way for collective learning and discovery that will directly impact future urban outcomes.
