When: Thursday 23 April, 12:30–13:30
Where: Online via MS Teams
Why is local and indigenous knowledge so important for shaping sustainable and regenerative land-use strategies? How to empower and support communities to actively participate in shaping their environment? And what framework and governance are needed to achieve sustainable urban transitions and increase justice, equity, and quality of life?
These questions are explored by Dr. Pamela Duran Diaz (Erasmus University Rotterdam, IHS) and Dr. Roberto Rocco (TU Delft, BK) during our Regenerative Dialogue on April 23rd.
The speakers
Dr. Pamela Duran Diaz is Senior Planning Specialist at the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS) of the Erasmus University Rotterdam. Pamela’s research focuses on heritage preservation and sustainability, and she is actively engaged in several initiatives in the Global South, where she supports local communities in shaping their environments in sustainable and inclusive ways. Her work promotes the importance of integrating natural and built environments, the value of both tangible and intangible heritage, and the use of local culture as a catalyst for sustainable development. Beyond her academic roles, Pamela is an active member of the international academic community. She serves as a guest lecturer at UNESCO Chair FLACAM, co-convener of the Sustainability team at Our World Heritage, and scientific advisor at TU eMpower Africa.
Not all futures look bright; we need to collaborate with local communities to create plans for a better future."
Dr. Roberto Rocco is Associate Professor of Spatial Planning and Strategy at the Department of Urbanism, Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment (BK), TU Delft. Roberto is specialized in the governance of urban transitions. He supports decision-makers with both theoretical frameworks and practical agendas for sustainable urban transformation, with spatial justice as a central component. He has extensive experience in informal urbanization in the Global South and has contributed to many strategic urban development plans through his consultancy with the Union for the Mediterranean, collaborating with national ministries, the EU, UNESCO, and other transnational organizations. Roberto also co-directs the TU Delft Centre for the Just City, an initiative promoting spatial justice in the built environment through education, research and consultancy.
Policy makers are really eager to implement spatial justice but they don’t know how."
Recording
Explore the topic further
Below some inspiring resources and initiatives shared by the speakers to dive deeper into the topic:
- Co-create your city | Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies | Erasmus University Rotterdam
- Sustainable Land Governance for Water–Energy–Food Systems
- https://just-city.org/team/spatial-justice/
- Spatial Justice The Basics https://www.routledge.com/Spatial-Justice-The-Basics/Rocco/p/book/9781041075431
- The Spatial Justice Handbook https://zenodo.org/records/12598019
- The TU Delft Spatial Planning Cycle https://zenodo.org/records/12654288
- A Spatial Planning Guide to Public Goods https://www.tudelft.nl/en/2026/bk/book-a-spatial-planning-guide-to-public-goods
🌱Would you like to get in touch with the speakers? Reach out to us, and we’ll gladly connect you. LDE_CfS@cml.leidenuniv.nl
💡Curious about our Community Regenerative Futures? Visit our webpage to explore what we’re building together.