Pope Francis the Urbanist

From the Atlantic Cities Blog:

Today, the Vatican welcomes more than 60 mayors from around the world. The eclectic agenda covers mayoral efforts to combat climate change as well as modern forms of slavery. Many of the mayors will stay the next day for a second conversation about how cities fit into the world’s new Sustainable Development Goals meant to guide development work around the globe for the next 15 years.

The mayors will see a Vatican that—even before Francis—has been quietly putting together a record of urban innovation. The initiatives are happening partially within the walls of the tiny city-state itself. But they’re also happening across the broader metropolitan area of Rome, where the Pope heads the local diocese of the Catholic Church, and where the Vatican holds a unique spiritual, political, and economic influence over local affairs.