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ISOCARP PULSE 2025 #2 June
| | | The International Society of City and Regional Planners is a member-led global organisation with the vision of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. Put most simply, we are an association of city and regional planners in all parts of the world – connecting, sharing, and giving planners a voice in the most important global conversations. This year we celebrate our Diamond Jubilee. | | Message from the President | | | Turbulent world, Urban world
'Times they are a-changing' sang Nobel prize winner Bob Dylan, in 1965, the year the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) was founded, now 60 years ago. Times never stop changing but the challenges facing our planet Earth and its privileged (human) species today may be without precedent. While we are emerging from a major pandemic crisis and starting to combat harmful global warming and rapid loss of biodiversity, genocidal warfare and political turmoil are casting serious doubts if we really can 'get our act together', as humankind, slowing down or even back peddling the (localised) implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 and its related New Urban Agenda 2036, as recently experienced at UN-Habitat's Assembly to adopt its Strategic Plan '26-'29 as well its Guidelines for People-centred Smart Cities (see also further below).
As Society (ISOCARP), no matter how small or big we are a global community of professional city and regional planners, we must be part of the solution. The solution is certainly not less but more urban and regional planning. Not less but more sustainable development and governance. This also means we need not fewer but many more planning professionals and thus more ISOCARP members, both individuals and institutions.
With this in mind, we are committed to fostering member mobilisation and engagement - bringing nice theories in practice and practice back into theory - the true essence of our Society.
To that end, the Board -supported by our Scientific Committee and many dedicated volunteer members, is actively engaged in: - Preparing the 61st World Planning Congress on 'Cities and Regions in Action - Planning Pathways to Resilience and Quality of Life', to be held from 1-4 December in Riyadh.
- Promoting this landmark event and thought leadership worldwide, by participating in key planning events organised by our many partners and institutional members.
- Exploring potential hosts and themes for next Congresses and related events.
- Acquiring and implementing not-for-profit planning services to third parties (including partners and institutional members), such as YPP's, UPAT's, Trainings etc.
- Restoring our global reputation to deliver quality publications and planning awards.
Finally, let's not forget celebrating our Diamond Jubilee, which we kicked off with a reception on our 60th birthday on 23 January, to be concluded by launching a special ISOCARP60 publication at our annual congress in Riyadh, with festive events in Gdańsk and The Hague as stepping stones and bonuses for our members and partners, while inviting reflections for the next 60 years!
"I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept." These words by Angela Davis—civil rights icon and scholar—echo with renewed urgency today.
Good governance is key to achieve good results, using our membership assets in terms of gender, geographical, cultural and age diversity. Hence - following one of the four pillars I outlined at our last AGM and with progress on all four - a focus of this presidency to review and reform our internal governance, which has been challenged as part of the external as well internal shocks. The embedding of key principles on conflict of interest and transparency, the launching of the two new transformative Awards in today's polarising and less equitable climate, the enrolment of new staff members and the recent inauguration of our new office co-working space in The Social Hub in The Hague showcases Board's determination to 'make change happen'.
This issue of PULSE covers many events and interactions. Crucially, in all these engagements, from visits to partner conferences and regional events, listening has been key (and very important to me). Listening to members' hopes, frustrations, insights, innovations - informative, and transformative thinking. As the journey is a dialogue.
I count on all current and potential members to co-create and exchange knowledge for a more sustainable place-based development for planet, people, prosperity, peace through partnerships.
Elisabeth Belpaire
President | | Special Member Assembly on 28 June 2025 | | On 21 December 2024, President Elisabeth Belpaire chaired a well-attended General Meeting of the Society. The overall mood was constructive and supportive of the Board's direction, resulting in the following near-unanimous decisions: - Approve the annual accounts for the financial year 2023-2024.
- Authorise the President to appoint a financial review task force and a governance task force, and to engage external expertise to advise on legal and ethical issues.
- Increase membership fees in line with inflation.
- Confirm the roles of Board Member, Treasurer and Secretary General.
- Determine that (i) "Stichting ISOCARP" was using the name "ISOCARP Institute" without authority, (ii) any "partnership" with "Stichting ISOCARP" was rescinded, and (iii) any misappropriated assets were to be recovered.
We cordially invite all active ISOCARP members to attend our next Special General Meeting (SGM) of the International Society of City and Regional Planners on: Saturday 28 June 2025 at 11:00 UTC (4 am San Francisco, 7 am NY, 8 am Rio, 11 GMT, 12 pm Lagos/London, 1 pm CEST, 2 pm Istanbul/Nairobi, 4:30 pm New Delhi, and 7 pm Beijing/KL/Manila/Perth, online only.
Every member is invited to join online via Teams, using the link you will receive after registration.
Please register beforehand by clicking on the button below. You will receive further information how to participate online prior the GM. | | Members are kindly requested to regularly check their mailbox for updates on agenda and documents. After closing the formal meeting an informal ISOCARP World Café will provide another great opportunity for the members and friends to engage in an open forward-looking discussion towards the next Annual General Assembly, with an extra SGM/World Café anticipated for end September or beginning of October, to shape the Society's direction and take steps together. To ensure the SGM can proceed, we need a quorum of 60 members. Active member participation is essential – please join us and encourage your colleague members to do the same!
In case you received an anonymous mail sent by members.isocarp@gmail.com, please be notified this is not an official nor authorized ISOCARP communication and that any unauthorized use of our trademarked name is liable to legal action – we apologize for any inconvenience caused by this mail. | | New members welcomed from 24 countries | | | In recent months, the Board approved applications to join ISOCARP from 44 city and regional planners in 24 countries. The Board welcomes following new ISOCARP members from 5 Regions (Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, Middle East) and 24 countries (USA, Rwanda, France, Czech Republic, China, Pakistan, Germany, Brazil, Poland, Saudi Arabia, Iran, UK, China, Austria, Romania, UAE, Angola, Indonesia, Netherlands, Jordan, Sudan, Nigeria, India, and Kuwait): | | | Individual
Ivan Radulovic
Mazahir Huseynov
Meg Hennessy
Aderemilekun Joshua
Iman Al Ofi
Marvin Tejada
Federica Fiacco
Fatma Al Bulushi
Beranger Alix
Amanda Lloyd
Divantha Ekanayake
Mohammad Erick Kusuma
Adrian Golab
Bayan Fazaa
Peter Geraghty
Hong Leng
Timea Lencz
Chi LI
Yang Yu
Kena Nicol
Lyuzhi Ruan
Marcelo Sbarra
Faezeh Sanjabie
Shiyi Song
Daniel Franke | | Individual
Lekshmy Hirandas
M. Febry Kurniawan
Momen Eid
Rafif Abdelmalik
Tala Alharbi
Fouad Alasiri
Qi Xia
Nisreen Alaraj
Imadeldin Abufag
Hadeel El Naggar
Zulfa Alaghbari
David Green
Dounia Janina HAMMOUTENE
Obafemi Ehinmero
Aqeel Alkhameys
Ashish Kelkar
Mohammed AlHasan Yousif
Madhurima Waghmare
Siame Hanna Ishac
Yousef Awaad Hussein
Institutional
Glb Transark (Romania)
The Urban Solutions Pvt. Ltd. (Pakistan) | | | The Board The Board is grateful to the many members that answered the open call to lend a hand to the respective Board directors and their portfolios such as Congress, Publications, Awards, Cyber Agora, Planning Services and Communications. Selected members, based on their preferences, experience and motivation will be contacted by the respective Board directors. The Board and its Executive Committee have been holding frequent online meetings to govern and manage the Society to the best of its ability, including one in person meeting combined with a retreat to 're-think' our 60-year-old Society towards a new vision, mission and Strategic Plan. During the retreat, an independent 'Health Scan' team presented its interim findings and recommendations, which will be shared with members at a Special General Meeting end of June.
The Board reinstated Ms Mahak Agrawal as elected member of the Board, while Markus Appenzeller was reconfirmed as Board member and as Treasurer. The composition of the Board, the Executive Committee and the Scientific Committee can be found on our website. The Board also reconfirmed its trust in Frank D'hondt as ISOCARP's Secretary General to complete his second term as elected volunteering officer till next Annual General Assembly in December, aiming to restore a regrettable administrative error in the registry of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce.
Elections to fill all remaining Board vacancies will be launched at a Special General Meeting after the summer break and concluded at the next Annual General Meeting before the start of the Annual Congress. | | | The Secretariat While elected Board officers are responsible for the strategic governance of the Society, the ISOCARP Secretariat is the beating heart of the operational management of the Society, assisted and guided by the Executive Committee as day-to-day management unit of the Board and the Society.
Due to capacity challenges over the past couple of months, we apologise for any delayed communication or inconvenience experienced by members or partners.
We are sadly waving goodbye with a great thank you to Eirini Margetousaki as our outgoing Congress Director a.i., passionately contributing to our memorable World Planning Congresses in Brussels, Toronto, New Clark City and Riyadh - and so much more. While we are recruiting a replacing Program Manager, we are most happy to welcome and introduce Nicola Williams, Managing Director Seren Events as our new Congress Director, assisted by Chantel Courtney – Welcome to the Team! We also want to strengthen our capacities for internal and external communications, Congress-related and overall ISOCARP related, as well for membership support. We also recruited Alec Gelgota as Congress Communications Officer – Welcome to the Team!
The Excom is working hard to restore a fully functional Secretariat in our new co-working space in The Social Hub in The Hague, walking distance from the two main railways stations. Please feel free to visit our team and suggest events to be organised in our new Hub. | | | Scientific Committee & Cyber Agora
ISOCARP's Scientific Committee (SciCom), has never been that active, mainly by engaging in our Cyber Agora's addressing new hot topics and trends in planning, as well by actively engaging in our upcoming 61st World Planning Congress, with SciCOm Chair Ulrich Graute as General Rapporteur, together with Nadine Nadine Bitar Chahine – see also further.
"Degrowth Talks" is a project of the "Post-Growth Planning" Working Group of ISOCARP SciCom, led by Zeynep Enlil (Chair, Global Planning Education Association Network and Professor at Yıldız Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey), and includes Tijana Tufek-Memisevic (Board member, ISOCARP), Hope Magidimisha-Chipungu (Professor in Town and Regional Planning, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) and Li Fan (Vice Chair, ISOCARP Scientific Committee). The working group is dedicated to exploring "Degrowth" as a paradigm shift in the context of urban planning. The goal is to examine the potentials and underlying challenges and critically analyse the implications of implementing "Degrowth" principles in urban settings. The group aims to provide data-driven, objective insights that can inform planners and policymakers about the possible viability of the concept for a sustainable and equitable urban future. | | | Another 'hot topic' remains Climate Resilience Planning. Following the successful ISOCARP-RTPI Cyber Agora #13 "Does COP Matter for Planners?" on 23 January (see previous PULSE), the ISOCARP Initiative for Climate Resilience Planning in collaboration with the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) – esteemed institutional ISOCARPmember curated, on 5 June, Cyber Agora #14 with a focus on "Planning Resilience in a Digital Future." Urban areas are ground zero for climate impacts. Climate-related disruptions are becoming more frequent and severe, making resilience a critical component of urban development. Digital technologies offer planners powerful tools to enable adaptive responses. The application of GIS for spatial vulnerability mapping, AI predictive analytics for climate forecasting, IoT networks for real-time environmental monitoring, and digital twins for simulating urban resilience scenarios has transformed urban resilience planning. By sharing empirical cases and actionable insights, this webinar highlights how planners can use digital innovation to embed resilience into urban systems | | | Institute for Urban Excellence The Centre for Urban Excellence, established ten years ago as separate legal and financial entity, and since 2018 operating as 'ISOCARP Institute', is now operating as an independent Institute for Urban Excellence, and thus no longer making use of our name. All ISOCARP activities ('planning services') are now back within the sole legal and financial entity of the Society as a not-for-profit public benefit association of members according to Dutch civil law. This recent development is fully aligned with the member resolution related to the 'ISOCARP Institute', adopted at the Special General Meeting on 21 December 2024.
Queries related to our third-party planning services can be sent to appenzeller@isocarp.org. | | | ISOCARP's name protected Since 1 June, ISOCARP (as acronym and as 'International Society of City and Regional Planners') is a protected 'trademark'. This means that no one and no other organisation can represent or act in name of ISOCARP without a formal consent by the Board as the governing body of ISOCARP as member-organisation. | | Congress, Conferences & External Events | | | 61st World Planning Congress, 1-4 December 2025, Riyadh On 15 April, the Mayor of Riyadh and the ISOCARP President co-signed the contract to host our 61st World Planning Congress, 1-4 December 2025, in Riyadh. For more see HERE.
Celebrating our Diamond Jubilee, ISOCARP, in collaboration with the Riyadh Region Municipality, invites urbanists, researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from around the world to contribute to the 61st ISOCARP World Planning Congress. This year's congress, Cities & Regions in Action: Planning Pathways to Resilience and Quality of Life, focuses on forward-looking planning solutions to address the complex challenges shaping urban and regional futures. This landmark Congress builds on ISOCARP's six-decade legacy of convening urban planners, policymakers, civil society leaders, academics, and practitioners from around the world to promote transformative, inclusive, and sustainable urban and regional planning. | | | Congress Tracks - Track 1: Sustainable Urban Growth in a World of Multiple Crises
- Track 2: Urban Economy and the Digital Age: 24-hour City and AI
- Track 3: Adaptation of Dynamic Cities to Extreme Climatic Conditions
- Track 4: Culture, Identity, and Inclusive Urban Transformation
- Track 5: Governing and Managing the Co-created Agile City
The Call for Congress Contributions has been extended till 27 June! We welcome contributions that reflect practical experience, bold ideas, or original research across five thematic tracks. Explore the Congress theme, review the Congress Tracks, and Create an Account to respond to the Call for Contributions and be a part of this year's ISOCARP World Planning Congress. | | The Congress Team is now complete: - Board Director of Congresses and Events: Dr. Wafa Al-Daily
- Congress Directors: Nicola Williams, assisted by Chantel Courtney
- Congress Coordinator: Maryte Litvinaite
- Communication Officer: Alec Gelgota
- General Rapporteurs: Ulrich Graute and Nadine Bitar Chahine, leading a team of selected volunteers as track- and session rapporteurs
- Director Awards and Publications: Dr. Tijana Tufek-Memisevic
- Director of YPP and Master Class: Markus Appenzeller
| | | Next Congresses & Conferences The Board is exploring potential hosts for post-WPC61 Congresses and Conferences, and welcome more Expressions of Interest, with the aim to alternate or at least balance congresses spread of Global North and South, true to our identity as global community of professional planners. We encourage our members and partners spotting potential hosts for next World Planning Congresses, preferably with strong support from respective local and/or regional authorities.
Following the successful and inspiring First ISOCARP Conference on New Regenerative Cities in New Clark Cities (The Philippines) as part of the World Planning Congress Diamond Anniversary Events in 2024, we also encourage our members and partners to find potential hosts for a follow up Conference, preferably in fast urbanising regions such as Asia and Africa. This way we can further advance our member-led Manifesto for New Regenerative Cities as outcome of a first-ever 'do-track' - see further. | | External Events
As much as we encourage our partners to promote and attend our congresses and conferences, we also aim to return the favour by promoting and, where possible, attending relevant external planning events organised by our partners and members.
Since our last Annual General Meeting in Siena, ISOCARP participated in following external events: - Climate COP29 in Baku/Azerbaijan, attended by ISOCARP President and many (other members including RTPI as institutional member- see previous PULSE.
- World Urban Forum 12 in Cairo/Egypt, organised by UN-Habitat, attended by more than a dozen ISOCARP members including several members of Board and SciCom - see previous PULSE and report on our website, complementing the official WUF12 report.
- Inauguration of Helen Fadipe MBE FRTPI as President of the Royal Town Planning Institute for 2025, in London/UK, attended by ISOCARP President.
- National Planning Conference (NPC) of the American Planning Association 2025, in Denver/USA, attended by Board member Tijana Tufek Mimesic and Scientific Committee Chair Ulrich Graute, alongside other ISOCARP members.
- First Arab-European Cities Dialogue 2025 in Riyadh/KSA, attended by ISOCARP leadership, alongside other ISOCARP members, and as learning experience for our own Congress later this year - see below.
- Annual World Tunnel Congress 2025, in Stockholm/Sweden, where ISOCARP leadership participated in two panel discussions organised by our platinum institutional member ITACUS - see below.
- IFHP x VDM Brussels Convening, in Brussels/Belgium, attended by ISOCARP member Guy Vloebergh, followed by a meeting between ISOCARP and Association Deltametropolis in The Hague/Netherlands attended by ISOCARP-leadership, alongside other ISOCARP members - see below.
- UN-Habitat's General Assembly meeting for member states and global stakeholders, in Nairobi/Kenya, discussing UN-Habitat's new Strategic Plan '26-'29 as well to review and update our joint MoU valid till 2030, including a high-level bilateral meeting with Anacláudia Rossbach, the Executive Director of UN-Habitat - see report and statement below.
- Gdańsk International Conference on Architecture & Planning, with speaking slots for ISOCARP leadership alongside other invited ISOCARP-members, including a birthday cake dedicated to ISOCARP's Diamond Jubilee – see below.
- Habitat Professionals Forum: ISOCARP board members actively participated in all online meetings of HPF, chaired and managed by ISOCARP-member Eleanor Mohammed, representing relevant associations of Human Settlements Professionals, advising UN-Habitat on implementing its mandate as the leading UN-agency on sustainable urban development. It aims to foster cooperation and partnership between the Human Settlements Professionals and UN-HABITAT through dialogue and partnerships. It also provides leading-edge information and expertise that contribute to the implementation of the Habitat Agenda and sustainable urban development.
- Global Planners Network: ISOCARP board members actively participated in all online meetings of GPN, chaired and managed by ISOCARP-member RTPI, representing over 100.000 professional planners worldwide, including an in-person meeting in Denver/USA, during the Annual Congress of American Planners Association, attended by our SciCom Chair/General Rapporteur Ulrich Graute
| | Some of these events are part of the promotional campaign for our Riyadh Congress, and upcoming promotional external events include: - AESOP Congress 2025 in Istanbul/Türkiye.
- Annual Congress Canadian Institute of Planners 2025 in Toronto/Canada.
- Annual Congress of Metropolis (UCLG) 2025, in Seoul/Korea.
- Annual Smart City World Expo Congress 2025, in Barcelona/Spain – with whom we signed a two-year Collaboration Agreement.
- Future online meetings of Habitat Professionals Forum and Global Planners Network.
We call upon all our members and partners to actively promote our congresses and events and inform us about interesting opportunities to send an official ISOCARP delegation, preferably funded by the respective hosting organisations.
For all queries and suggestions on Congresses, Conferences and External Events, please contact the Board Director responsible for Congresses & Events, Dr. Wafa Al-Daily aldaily@isocarp.org. | | | National Planning Conference of the American Planning Association (APA) 2025, Denver Congratulations to APA President Sue Schwartz on a successful APA National Planning Conference that emphasized the vital role of community in planning practice. In her opening remarks, she reflected on the evolving federal policy landscape in the United States, while reminding attendees that managing change is at the core of the planning profession.
ISOCARP was represented by Board Director for Awards and Publications Tijana Tufek-Memisevic and Scientific Committee Chair Ulrich Graute, alongside several other ISOCARP members. The main purpose of ISOCARP's presence was to promote the upcoming 61st World Planning Congress in Riyadh (1–4 December 2025) and to strengthen institutional collaboration with APA on a range of shared priorities by actively engaging in discussions and supporting our American colleagues in their efforts to champion the planning profession in both practice and research.
Tijana and Ulrich also attended the APA International Division's Business Meeting and took part in conversations with planners addressing urban challenges in an increasingly polarized political context. These discussions reaffirmed the importance of maintaining international dialogue and partnerships to advance planning research and practice across borders. | | | | |
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