Creating cities where people feel like they belong is important, according to Eduardo Paes, the current mayor of Barcelona and a former mayor of Rio de Janeiro. Paes, who was born in Brazil, has dedicated a large portion of his professional life to improving urban settings as lively communities that promote the welfare of their inhabitants, rather than merely as locations for employment or recreation.

According to Paes, cities should be inclusive and integrated, with residents acting as active contributors to the city's future rather than merely being its residents. He thinks that rather than concentrating only on infrastructure or economic development, effective urban planning should place a higher priority on interpersonal relationships and support.

Imagine a city as a huge puzzle, with each piece representing a person and each person helping to create a harmonious whole. According to Paes, for a city to prosper, every component must work together harmoniously and there cannot be any space for exclusion or seclusion. Cities can become more resilient and lively by creating an atmosphere where everyone feels appreciated and connected.

Paes supports laws that promote social cohesiveness and community involvement, such as those that create public areas for social interaction, cultural gatherings that honor diversity, and technological advancements that unite rather than divide people. In a broader context, he hopes to create urban spaces that resemble nurturing villages rather than impersonal concrete jungles.

As mayor of Rio de Janeiro, Paes launched a number of initiatives to improve public safety and social inclusion, which he sees as essential elements in creating a community where people look out for one another. His attempts to enhance locals' quality of life via careful urban planning are indicative of a larger idea that cities ought to be planned with the human condition at their center.

Paes's viewpoint provides an optimistic outlook on urban development, highlighting the fact that real progress arises from appreciating and fostering each person's inherent worth within a city's structure.