Dear friends and colleagues,

From 8 to 12 October, we will celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of ISOCARP. 60 years of incredible activities and efforts that position ISOCARP as the most active and recognised global association of planners in the world. We can be proud of our heritage, of our contributions to international movements aimed at changing the way cities and regions are planned.

But today we are at a turning point.

First, climate change is already changing the paradigm of planning, making proximity more important than speed, and urban regeneration more important than urban expansion. Historic centres are the laboratories of proximity and circularity. We should change the laws, regulations, approaches and way of planning in all countries.

Secondly, new technologies and especially artificial intelligence will have a huge impact on our practices. Some of our work will be incredibly expanded in modelling, public participation, benchmarking, reporting, city and regional planners and universities should adopt new tools and develop new skills in their practices and curriculum.

Third, urbanisation is now accelerating, with an additional 2 billion urban dwellers to be accommodated over the next 50 years. We need new solutions that integrate the dynamics of informal settlements into the planning process.

Siena is the perfect place to host the World Planning Congress. The city of Italo Calvino, who searched for the soul of cities. The city of the “planner’s fresco”, which links urban and rural areas, the innovative city that was the first in Europe to introduce pedestrianisation. The city of innovation, where culture is the engine of development.

The World Planning Congress is the place to discuss, develop partnerships and launch initiatives for innovation. The Diamond Jubilee of ISOCARP is the moment to define a new vision for ISOCARP for the next 10 years.

The Congress will be innovative. It is built on the dialogue between planners with different patterns as high level keynotes with the UN-Habitat Executive Director, the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO, Pr Carlos Moreno (15 minutes city), Arch. Jad Tab one of the main authors of the Historic Urban Landscape UNESCO Recommendation, track sessions on your papers, special sessions and forums with cities, regions, planners associations. It is built on your creativity with a music band of planners and competitions on sketches, short films and short texts.

The Congress will be productive with a mini UPAT and the YPP related to the projects of the City of Siena, a final statement to be sent to UN-Habitat, UCLG, Metropolis, OECD, Habitat Professional Forum and other international organisations. It is also the place to launch new initiatives by urban and regional planners.

The enthusiasm of our members is incredible, with a huge Congress team of more than 40 members committed to preparing the Congress. We look forward to your contributions. We look forward to seeing you in Siena.

For inquires regarding submissions please email us at
siena-contributions2024@aimgroup.eu

For inquiries regarding congress registrations please email us at
siena-registrations2024@aimgroup.eu