Speaking
Public speaking and facilitating discussions has been a powerful tool complementing my work. I combine my passion for the subject with evidence, strategic thinking and stories from the field. I do this to advance knowledge, advocate for the most vulnerable communities, and connect with others interested in driving positive change in complex contexts. This is a selection of recent and past speaking commitments.
2024
Podcast - Internal displacement, urbanisation, food futures: reflections on evolving global challenges
Hosted by: Displacement Urbanism - A podcast series by Dr Romola Sanyal, Associate Professor of Urban Geography at London School of Economics LSE.
Topic: In this podcast, Isis discusses her experience working with displaced communities across the world, reflecting on the challenges internally displaced persons face in urban areas and what we should be thinking about as we seek to respond to these issues.
Location: Online - access the LSE series here (episode No.14) and the direct link to my episode here.
2023
Invited Expert - World Bank and Somalia Mayors’ Forum on Planning and Investment Programming for Urban Resilience
Topic: Urbanization and Investment Programming amid Displacement and Climate Change, Conflict and Fragility Risks
Hosted by: The World Bank and Tokio Development Learning Centre
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
2022
Chair and speaker - Responding to crises driving food insecurity in cities: Learning from Ethiopia, Colombia and Madagascar at UN-Habitat World Urban Forum 11
Topic: Urban humanitarian response, food security, displacement
Hosted by: UN World Food Programme, with speakers from the World Bank, UN-Habitat, and Local governments from Colombia, Ethiopia and Madagascar
Location: Katowice, Poland
2021
Speaker - Transforming Data into Action for Solutions to Displacement
Topic: Strategy launch, evidence-based durable solutions to internal displacement
Hosted by: U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM), USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the Mission of Norway to the UN in Geneva, and JIPS
Location: Webinar / online
Media: Recording available here
2021
Speaker - High Level Panel Global Event on Urban Internal Displacement
Topic: Internal displacement in an increasingly urbanised world: Challenges and opportunities
Hosted by: UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Internal Displacement, UN-Habitat, JIPS and IIED
Location: Webinar / online
Media: Report available here, recommendations to the high level panel available here, and journal article available here
2021
Speaker - Political Economy of Development Solutions to Displacement
Topic: Durable solutions to internal displacement, with a focus on Sudan and El Salvador
Hosted by: UNDP, SOAS, and the Secretariat for the UN Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Internal Displacement
Location: Webinar / online
2020
Invited speaker - Cities Alliance and UN-Habitat series on Forced Displacement to Cities
Topic: Urban profiling for durable solutions in urban areas
Hosted by: Cities Allliance and UN-Habitat
Location: Webinar / online
Media: Web-story and recording available here
Invited speaker - Beyond shelter: sustainable urban solutions & the humanitarian-development-peace nexus for Somalia’s at UN-Habitat World Urban Forum 10
Topic: Urban profiling for informing the operationalisation of the humanitarian-development-peace nexus
Hosted by: Banaadir Regional Authority & Mogadishu Municipality, Ministry of Public Works Reconstruction and Housing & EU-REINTEG
Location: Abu Dhabi
Exhibitor and speaker - Humanitarian Partners Networking Week 2020
Topic: Urban profiling for post-conflict recovery in Syrian cities
Hosted by: iMMAP and JIPS
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
2019
Invited speaker and contributor to the toolkit - UN-Habitat regional meeting on urban profiling
Topic: Urban profiling for a shared understanding on urban displacement in the Arab Region to feed into development of a toolkit for the region
Organisers:UN-Habitat Regional Office for the Arab States
Location: Cairo, Egypt
Invited speaker - Global Alliance for Urban Crises webinar series 2019
Topic: Urban profiling: : how to start with a shared understanding in urban contexts
Organisers: Global Alliance for Urban Crises and ALNAP
Location: Webinar, video recording available here
Speaker and co-organiser- UN-Habitat Assembly event on Addressing Displacement in Cities
Topic: Urban profiling informing solutions for IDPs in cities
Organisers: UN-Habitat, United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and JIPS
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
2018
Panelist - 39th Session, Human Rights Council
Topic: Promoting IDP participation in shaping durable solutions
Hosted by:: UN Special rapporteur on the human rights of IDPs
Location: Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland
Media: Web-story and video available here
Speaker and co-organiser - UN-Habitat World Urban Forum 9
Topic: Urban displacement, durable solutions for internally displaced persons, collaborative data processes
Organisers: Joint IDP Profiling Service, IMPACT Initiatives, and the International Rescue Committee
Location: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2017
Invited speaker - VI Innovation Forum, Almaty, Kazakhstan
Topic: Citizen engagement. Almaty Innovation Forum is an annual conference hosted by Almaty city administration, and serves as an important discussion platform between city government, citizens, and and the scientific community.
Organisers: Almaty city administration, British Council Kazakhstan
Location: Almaty, Kazakhstan
Invited speaker - City seminars (lent term) at University of Cambridge
Topic: Informal settlements, urban inequality and community self-reliance
Organisers: The Martin Centre for Architecture and Urban Studies, King’s College, University of Cambridge
Location: Cambridge, United Kingdom
2016
Chair & speaker - Habitat III United Nations Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development
Topic: Grassroots Approaches Towards Self-Reliance in South Africa
Partners: eThekwini Municipality, South African National Department of Human Settlements, UN-Habitat, and University of Westminster
Location: Quito, Ecuador
Invited expert & speaker - UN-Habitat Global Expert Group Meeting on Urban Planning & Design LABs as tools for integrated & participative urban development
Topic: Methods and collaborative approaches for multi-stakeholder engagement to address urban challenges
Organisers: UN-Habitat Urban Planning and Design Labs
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Invited speaker - National Meeting of Slum Dwellers Federation of Namibia, Windhoek, Namibia
Topic: Grassroots approaches towards self-reliance in South Africa
Organisers: Slum Dwellers Federation of Namibia, The Integrated Land Management Institute, Namibia
Location: Windhoek, Namibia
2013
Exhibitor & speaker - UCL Urban Lab Cities Methodologies exhibition
Topic: Innovations in urban research methods, showcasing cross-disciplinary work from cities and practitioners worldwide
Organisers: UCL Urban Lab
Location: London, United Kingdom
Chair & speaker - The city of “Buen Vivir” symposium
Topic: Addressing inequalities in Quito through housing, neighbourhood and city-wide practices of “Buen Vivir”
Organisers: Architecture Sans Frontieres - UK, National Higher Studies Institute (IEAN), Salesian University, Confederation of Barrios (CONBADE), Neighbourhood Government of Atucucho
Location: Quito, Ecuador
2012
Invited speaker - RICS - Prince’s Foundation Forum on International Practice in Participatory Planning
Topic: Participatory planning and design for inclusive city building
Organisers: the Prince’s Foundation and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)
Location: London, United Kingdom
2011
Keynote speaker - Chamber of Architects of Honduras
Topic: Urbanism and urban informality - social and spatial transformations of rapidly growing cities
Organisers: Chamber of Architects of Honduras
Location: Tegucigalpa, Honduras
