Renowned planner and advocate Gil Peñalosa comes to Wayne State University June 23 to discuss inclusive street design, active parks, accessible mobility and vibrant communities for all. Peñalosa is the founder and chair of 8 80 Cities in Toronto and the former Commissioner of Parks, Sport and Recreation for the City of Bogota, Columbia, where he helped create one of the most successful park systems in the world. He is an international leader in creating great cities and communities through active public spaces.

Peñalosa's keynote lecture is part of Move Detroit: Creating Vibrant, Inclusive and Innovative Public Places, a week-long immersion sponsored by Jefferson East, Inc. in partnership with Wayne State's Office of Economic Development with support from Knight Foundation. Move Detroit will bring together community leaders, civic innovators, urban experts and community members for lectures, panel discussions, workshops and strategy sessions about public spaces that are accessible and enjoyable to everyone regardless of social, economic or ethnic background.

Following the lecture, Peñalosa will lead a panel discussion with three community leaders who are taking creative approaches to public spaces in their neighborhoods and across the city: Raquel Castañeda-Lopez, Detroit City Council Member, District 6; Jason Hall, co-founder of Slow Roll Detroit; and Ryan Myers-Johnson, curator and founder of Sidewalk Festival of Performing Arts.

"Wayne State University is committed to creating more dynamic public spaces that bridge our campus and our community," said Jeri Stroupe, senior project administrator in the Office of Economic Development. "We aim for this conversation with Gil Peñalosa--and all of the week's events--to spur ideas and action on campus, in Midtown and across Detroit."

We Are All City Builders: How to Create Vibrant, Inclusive and Innovative Cities for All takes place June 23 at 6pm at Wayne State's Community Arts Auditorium, 450 Reuther Mall. A public reception follows. The event is free and open to the public, but RSVP is requested at http://bit.ly/CityBuilders2015

For a complete list of the week's events, visit http://goeastjefferson.org/8-80-cities-immersion-week/.

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering more than 380 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to nearly 28,000 students. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, Wayne State seeks to provide a world-class academic experience while fostering economic growth and improving the quality of life in the city of Detroit, the state of Michigan and throughout the world.

The Office of Economic Development leads Wayne State University's efforts to catalyze business activity and promote a vibrant Midtown Detroit. We are a hub and a convener. We work across the university to leverage Wayne State's assets--our talent, our research and technology, our facilities and services, and our real estate--to stimulate growth, and strengthen Midtown and neighborhoods across the city.