Beyond Borders: Reimagining Cities for a Sustainable Future
- IVECA Center
- 3 hours ago
- 3 min read
What does a sustainable city look like when viewed from different parts of the world? Through IVECA Live Classes, students from Cameroon, China, Korea, Mexico, and Singapore examined this question by connecting global challenges to the realities of their own communities. As they shared ideas on climate action, urban development, and social responsibility, it became clear that sustainability is shaped as much by local context as it is by global goals. These exchanges invited students to move beyond theory to imagine practical pathways toward cities that are more inclusive, resilient, and livable.
In Korea, students approached sustainability by asking how cities can continue to grow while leaving no one behind. Their discussions reflected the realities of rapidly developing and industrial areas, where housing costs, aging populations, youth out-migration, rising energy use, and regional gaps all shape daily life. Rather than imagining distant futures, students focused on how long-term planning, policy choices, and technology could directly improve the quality of life for the people who live in these cities now and in the years ahead.
Working through the same challenge, students in China and Cameroon grounded their ideas in the social and environmental issues most visible in their own communities. Chinese students connected urban sustainability to broader goals such as equity, food security, and climate responsibility, emphasizing the importance of balancing development with care for people and the environment. In Cameroon, students centered their proposals on everyday challenges, from flooding and waste management to access to clean water and reliable energy. Their solutions reflected what felt achievable locally, including sanitation improvements, recycling practices, flood-warning systems, and community-based energy approaches designed to reduce health risks with limited resources.
For students in Singapore and Mexico, sustainability became a question of creativity and collaboration. Singaporean students explored how dense cities can work smarter through innovative design, efficient use of space, and new ways of producing food and energy. Mexican students, meanwhile, highlighted the power of community action, showing how awareness campaigns, school initiatives, and partnerships with local organizations can turn global sustainability goals into meaningful change at the local level.
Cultural performances brought the exchanges to life, giving students a chance to share who they are beyond their projects. Students from Korea showcased the focus, discipline, and cultural pride behind one of the country’s most iconic traditions, Taekwondo. From China, students shared a traditional instrumental performance, filling the virtual space with calm, expressive music. Students from Singapore offered a dance performance rooted in national heritage, while students from Mexico introduced elements of their culture through food, art, and everyday traditions. Students from Cameroon added a live dance performance, where rhythm and movement expressed joy, community, and cultural identity. These moments reminded students that cultural exchange is not only about learning from one another, but about celebrating what each community brings to the global conversation.
As the Live Classes ended, students reflected on how the exchange shaped the way they see their cities, their futures, and their role as global citizens. A student from Korea shared how the session had been “truly meaningful because it helped us to think more critically about the future of our cities and the responsibilities we must have as global citizens.” From Mexico, a student reflected on how the discussions expanded their understanding of sustainability, explaining that it “is not just about being environmentally friendly, it includes a whole system, such as energy, transportation, to make human life cleaner and better as in green.” Together, these reflections highlight how engaging with diverse perspectives helped students move beyond isolated ideas and consider sustainability as a shared, multidimensional challenge.