Uploaded October 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Dr Theresa Williamson, Executive Director, Catalytic Communities
Hosted by Dr Nick Morgan, introduction from Dr Matt Davies
Informal settlements, such as Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, are not new and they are not rare. Today, one in three people in cities live in an informal settlement, and 85% of all housing worldwide is built illegally. By 2050, nearly a third of humanity will live in urban informal settlements. How can we value informal settlements around the world and integrate them on their own terms into our urban planning practices? Could this search lead to a sustainable urban future?
Biography
Theresa Williamson, Ph.D., is a city planner and founding executive director of Catalytic Communities, an NGO working to support Rio de Janeiro’s favelas through asset-based community development. CatComm publishes RioOnWatch, an award-winning local-to-global favela news platform, and coordinates the Sustainable Favela Network and Favela Community Land Trust programs. In 2020 they launched the Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard data crowdsourcing initiative. Theresa is an advocate for the recognition of favelas’ heritage status and their residents’ rights to be treated as equal citizens. She received the 2018 American Society of Rio prize for her contributions to the city and the 2012 NAHRO Award for her contributions to the international housing debate.
Live Q&A:
The lecture will be followed by a live Q&A with the speakers. You can submit a question during the event using YouTube Live Chat, via Twitter @InsightsNCL or by sending an email to public.lectures@ncl.ac.uk.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for watching.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/INSIGHTSPublicLecturesNCL
Follow INSIGHTS Public Lectures on Twitter: twitter.com/InsightsNCL
Visit the INSIGHTS Public Lectures Website: ncl.ac.uk/events/public-lectures
Dr Theresa Williamson, Executive Director, Catalytic Communities
Hosted by Dr Nick Morgan, introduction from Dr Matt Davies
Informal settlements, such as Rio de Janeiro’s favelas, are not new and they are not rare. Today, one in three people in cities live in an informal settlement, and 85% of all housing worldwide is built illegally. By 2050, nearly a third of humanity will live in urban informal settlements. How can we value informal settlements around the world and integrate them on their own terms into our urban planning practices? Could this search lead to a sustainable urban future?
Biography
Theresa Williamson, Ph.D., is a city planner and founding executive director of Catalytic Communities, an NGO working to support Rio de Janeiro’s favelas through asset-based community development. CatComm publishes RioOnWatch, an award-winning local-to-global favela news platform, and coordinates the Sustainable Favela Network and Favela Community Land Trust programs. In 2020 they launched the Covid-19 in Favelas Unified Dashboard data crowdsourcing initiative. Theresa is an advocate for the recognition of favelas’ heritage status and their residents’ rights to be treated as equal citizens. She received the 2018 American Society of Rio prize for her contributions to the city and the 2012 NAHRO Award for her contributions to the international housing debate.
Live Q&A:
The lecture will be followed by a live Q&A with the speakers. You can submit a question during the event using YouTube Live Chat, via Twitter @InsightsNCL or by sending an email to public.lectures@ncl.ac.uk.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Thank you for watching.
Subscribe to our YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/INSIGHTSPublicLecturesNCL
Follow INSIGHTS Public Lectures on Twitter: twitter.com/InsightsNCL
Visit the INSIGHTS Public Lectures Website: ncl.ac.uk/events/public-lectures
