Ayanda Roji 

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Centre on African Public Spaces;

Head of Research and Knowledge Management at the City of Johannesburg’s Parks and Zoo agency

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Ayanda Roji is a social scientist who is passionate about people-centered public spaces. Her focus is on how public spaces are understood, designed, used, and managed. She promotes inclusive public spaces which meet the needs of diverse populations and vulnerable groups. She strongly advocates for creative and innovative participatory planning practices that stimulate belonging and public ownership, particularly in the face of rising risks of climate change, pandemics, inequality and other injustices. Ayanda is the Head of Research and Knowledge Management at the City of Johannesburg’s Parks and Zoo agency. Ayanda holds a Master’s degree in Local and Regional Development from the International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University in the Netherlands.

 

In her presentation Ayanda will focus on the link between innovation and participatory planning practices from an African perspective as well relations ofthese issues to management and large institutions.