Last week was the Vancouver re-launch of Social Tech Brewing, a Canadian version of PlanetWork -- basically a loose network of people working with technology in the nonprofit sector. The presentation portion of the evening (which dissolved into the real business: drinking and gossip) focused on an event that's coming to Vancouver next month: the World Urban Forum (WUF). The WUF site explains that:

The World Urban Forum is a biennial gathering that is attended by a wide range of partners, from non-governmental organisations, community-based organisations, urban professionals, academics, to governments, local authorities and national and international associations of local governments. It gives all these actors a common platform to discuss urban issues in formal and informal ways and come up with action-oriented proposals to create sustainable cities.

The third session of the World Urban Forum (WUFIII) will be hosted by the Government of Canada. It will take place in Vancouver, Canada, from 19 to 23 June 2006 and have as its main theme, Our Future: Sustainable Cities – Turning Ideas into Action.

We heard from two folks who have or are working on technology projects related to the WUF. Katherine Dodds worked on Habitat Jam, which stands as the world's largest online dialogue project to date. The Jam came it for quite a bit of discussion before, during and after its December run; Katherine had some interesting insights into the challenges of organizing and executing the Jam.

Steven Forth is working on the Global Urban Sustainable Solutions Exchange, a project that is meant to be Canada's gift to and legacy from the WUF. The Exchange will make it possible for urban planners and community organizers around the world to share knowledge about urban sustainability issues, and to continue a global dialogue on the subject.

Thanks to Roland Tanglao, both presentations are now available via podcast.