Sustainable Cities Must Be Inclusive

By Gemma Tabet

Written: December 19th 2022

Theme of Issue: SDG 11, Sustainable Cities. Here is the official UN link where you can learn more about this particular Sustainable Development Goal: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11

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Photo by Melissa via Avid Reader's Musings

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SDG 11, Sustainable Cities and Communities, aims for the picturesque world of green buildings, surrounded by crisp, clean air and the happy bustle of healthy, prospering people. Smog, floating plastic bags and trash on the sidewalks are things of the past. Sustainability and clean energies are the focus of the future. Yet, a recent interview with Fabio Geda, Italian author of “Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli” or “In the sea there are crocodiles”, has revealed an important truth: a city cannot be sustainable if it is not inclusive. Particularly, Geda speaks of the issue of divided cities and the rise of urban inequalities: migrants and refugees find themselves concentrated in neighborhoods where they are more likely to face poverty as a cause of limited access to equal opportunities, amenities and services compared to other neighborhoods. Segregation in cities has been only increasing, and for the SDGs to be achieved, cities must not only become greener: they must become inclusive communities.

On Friday, the 11th of November, my Italian class had the opportunity to watch live an interview between Fabio Geda and Alice Bigli, representative of Mondadori Education, as they answered questions submitted in real time by around 900 middle school classes from around Italy and the Italian-speaking regions of Switzerland. The video, called “A tu per tu con l’autore” or “Face-to-Face with the Author”, was a way for students to interview Geda about his older novel ‘Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli’ and recent sequel ‘Storia di un figlio: andata e ritorno’ (Story of a Son: There and Back). Both books have recently been published by Mondadori Education in scholastic edition, and narrate the moving, true story of Enaiatollah Akbari, from his escape from Afghanistan as a child, to his 5-year journey to Italy, and now his adventures 13 years later as he reconnects with his distant family of origin, while witnessing the violence of fundamentalism, and the strength of friendship and love.

The interview began with Geda explaining the story of his new novel. The aim was for readers to find out what had happened to Enaiat’s family during his five-year journey, and to also learn about his experience living in Italy. When Geda and Enaiat began talking about the possibility of a second book they quickly came to the realization that the past ten years had brought Enaiat on a second journey: not the physical one of an immigrant searching for a new home, but rather, stated Fabio Geda,“il viaggio intimo del migrante che deve ricucire le sue due identità: quella dovuta del luogo radicato che ha lasciato, con quella che si sta radicando nel luogo dove ha ricominciato a sognare, a immaginare un futuro.” or in English, “the intimate journey of the migrant who has to sew together two identities: the one linked to the home they had to leave behind, with the one that is taking root in the place where they started to dream again, to imagine a future.”

One of the following questions asked by many classes brought Geda back to the first book. For the author, the most pivotal scene of the novel was when the Taliban killed Enaiat’s teacher: a brave man who had refused to close the school and continued to teach even when faced with death-threats. According to Geda, these actions remained “un tatuaggio indelebile nella memoria, nell’anima e del cuore di Enaiatollah.” or “an unforgettable tattoo on the memory, soul and heart of Enaiatollah.” Throughout his journey Enaiat never forgets the importance of education and curiosity, which Geda explains was fundamental,“Quella inquietudine sana l’ha fatto mai fermare” or “That healthy restlessness made him never stop”, a mindset that brought Enaiat to Italy, where he quickly managed to get his middle school license, graduate high school and go to university to study political science.

Geda’s interview continues as he explains the main objectives Enaiatollah and he had when writing ‘Nel mare ci sono i coccodrilli’. The first was to create empathy among Italian readers who had not experienced forced displacement. They had written the book a few years before, during what he describes as “la grande crisi migratoria”or “the great migration crisis”, in a period where people were only just beginning to talk about the children and youth who had been forced to find refuge around the globe. “Molto spesso vedevo con quale superficialità le loro storie venivano raccontate... Volevamo permettere ai lettori italiani d’entrare in profondità nel vissuto di un ragazzino immigrante, sperando che poi quella esperienza creerebbe empatia.” or “I would often see how superficially their stories were told... We wanted to allow Italian readers to go deep into the life of the immigrant child, hoping that this experience would create empathy.”

Their second goal was aimed towards a second public, those “che avevano avuto esperienze simili a quelle di Enaiatollah” or “who had had similar experiences to Enaiatollah's." Geda describes how he and Enaiat wanted to make sure that children with immigration backgrounds "si siano sentiti rappresentati, si siano sentiti raccontati, e quindi si siano sentiti esistere.” or “felt represented, felt their stories were being told, and so felt that they existed.” The author recognizes the importance of being represented in stories, whether in movies or in books, and for immigrant children, who find themselves ignored in often hostile countries, “hanno bisogno più di tanti altri di sentirsi esistere e guardati” or “they have more reason that most to feel that they exist and are looked after.”

Geda ends on a strong note as he talks about the importance of inclusivity when answering a question about the human rights he believes are the less respected, but deserve to be treated with more urgency. First, we must“rispettare il desiderio del minore di raggiungere un luogo specifico. Noi lo sappiamo perfettamente che i nostri regolamenti internazionali rendono difficile i loro viaggi.” or “respect a child's desire to reach a specific place. We know perfectly well that our international regulations make it difficult for them to travel.” In fact, a United Nations report called Fatal Journeys Volume 4: Missing Migrant Children collected data from 2014 to 2018, and found that every day one migrant child is reported dead or missing. Of the 32,000 deaths recorded between those years, over half died or went missing in the Mediterranean Sea, mainly due to EU regulations causing a lack of safe and legal pathways to Europe as well as sea rescues becoming scarcer and more difficult.

Second, Geda stresses the urgency of “includerli nella comunità in cui vengono raccolti” or “including them in the communities in which they are placed”. The Italian author emphasizes inclusivity as a means for sustainable cities and happier communities. Segregation brings huge disparities and inequalities, and for immigrant children who have already faced traumatic experiences, this disbalance can tip them into extreme poverty. “Si trovano rinchiusi, non dà degli steccati o dei cancelli, ma dalle dinamiche urbanistiche e sociali delle città, che fanno sì che loro si sentano non voluti, non desiderati.” or “They find themselves locked up, not by fences or gates, but by the urban and social dynamics of cities, which make them feel unwanted and un-welcomed." Immigrant children have a higher chance of finding themselves in poverty-ridden areas, and this can even affect their educational lives. UNCHR in its Education Report 2021: 'Staying the Course' found that two-thirds of refugee children might never get to secondary school, having to drop-out to support their impoverished families, raising the chances of child labour.

Cities will be part of the future, with an estimated 70% of the world’s population living in them by 2050. Currently, cities even account for around 80% of global GDP, which is why ensuring they are inclusive is key to increase the quality of life for everyone. Cities should adapt spatial inclusion, provide affordable necessities, and push for social inclusion to guarantee equal rights for all, giving opportunities and listening to the most marginalized communities. Finally, cities should also aim for economic inclusion, by creating jobs and giving all residents the chance to benefit from economic growth. One, easy solution does not exist. But as Fabio Geda advised, “Esiste la volontà di risolvere il problema. I governi locali e nazionali devono fare in modo che l’inclusione, la conoscenza e l’ascolto reciproco vengono prima di qualunque altre cose.”or “Willingness to solve this problem already exists. Local and national governments must ensure that inclusion, knowledge and listening to one another comes before anything else."