23/04/2026
Imagine a city where every street, park, and building works not just for its people today, but for generations to come. This week, the Dissemination Conference “Strengthening Cities for All” brought together visionaries and policymakers to explore exactly that future.
The conference opened with inspiring words from Pamela Baijal, Deputy Head of Economic Cooperation and Development at the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany. She was joined by Smita Singh, Senior Programme Manager at the Delegation of the European Union to India and Bhutan, and Christian Kapfensteiner, Director of Sustainable Urban Development at GIZ India.
Together, they emphasized a simple but powerful idea: our cities must grow in ways that are climate-resilient, gender-inclusive, digitally smart, and financially sustainable.
India’s cities are poised to generate over 70% of the country’s GDP in the coming decades. How we plan and govern these urban spaces today will decide whether this growth benefits everyone or leaves vulnerable communities behind.
Under the Green and Sustainable Development Partnership (GSDP) between Germany and India, the two countries are committed to building cities that thrive sustainably. Alongside the European Union, they’ve spent the last four years strengthening policies, building institutional capacity, advancing digital solutions, and sharing knowledge across states like Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana.
Kuldip Narayan, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, delivered the keynote address, shining a spotlight on the government’s new Urban Challenge Fund. His message was clear: policy frameworks are only the starting point - the real work lies in transforming these plans into bankable, climate-resilient projects at the city level.
The conference also hosted engaging panel discussions on topics such as capacity building, nature-based solutions for climate resilience, and the critical role of women leading inclusive urban transformations. A highlight was the launch of the Training Guidebook “Preparing Bankable Climate-Resilient Urban Infrastructure Projects”, a practical tool for city planners and developers.
Cities only work for everyone when collaboration, integrated planning, and a focus on climate and social inclusion come together.
