Religious factor in the implementation of the UN New Urban Agenda

The article discusses the importance of taking into account the religious factor in the implementation of sustainable development plans for modern cities based on the analysis of the UN integrated program New Urban Agenda. Urbanization is one of the challenges that is significantly changing the geopolitical and religious landscape. The multi-million-strong concentration of people with different worldviews and cultural traditions in a megalopolis creates a lot of technological and humanitarian problems not only for a particular country, but for the world as a whole. In this regard, the role of large cities as global policyactors is increasing. The UN developed a comprehensive program New Urban Agenda (2016), which is aimed at the sustainable development of the modern city. This program ignores the role of the religious factor in solving socio-economic and humanitarian problems caused by growing urbanization. Despite the crisis state of some religions in various parts of the world, the number of people who engage in religious activities is growing, and today there are 84 per cent of such people. The social activities of various religious organizations are respected, and they make a significant contribution to the sustainable development of the modern city. The role of religious organizations at the local level is particularly significant. It is necessary to mention the ambivalent role of religion, namely, the manifestations of its disintegrating function: intolerance of other beliefs, refusal to observe the secular norms of the community, extremist appeals and terrorist acts under religious slogans. Addressing the issue of the public role of religion and the use and interpretation of religious symbols is one of the problems of sustainable urban development. The idea of just and peaceful coexistence in a modern city cannot be realized without a constructive dialogue between state, public and religious organizations. Of particular interest is the Rabat Plan (2017) by religious organizations to promote the implementation of the New Urban Agenda. Religious organizations can make a constructive contribution to economic progress not only by making substantial financial contributions, but also by demonstrating the practical implementation of the moral values of mutual understanding and respect.