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Rising population figures, economic
development and social change are the chief causes of increasing urbanization. Ever larger
urban agglomerations are spreading throughout the world. Towns and cities are the focal
points of social and ecological problems at present. At the same time, they are the
essential engines of economic development and offer an opportunity for a growing number of
people to live in a relatively small area with economic and ecological efficiency under
humane conditions.
Towns and cities offer the hope and provide the opportunity for politicians, the public
and experts to join forces to solve existing problems by combining global and local ation
and for people worldwide to take steps to promote sustainable development.
At the Earth Summit in 1992, the international community agreed to take concerted action
to work towards achieving the goals of global sustainable development. The United Nations
Conference on Human Settlements (Habitat 11), held in Istanbul in 1996, deepened this
dialogue, especially with regard to housing and settlement issues. Following on from these
two conferences, the Global Conference URBAN 21 should identify concrete solutions and, at
the same time, generate an appropriate vision and action-oriented strategies for achieving
worldwide sustainable development in the 21st century. Therefore, the aim of URBAN 21 is
to constitute a further milestone in the efforts to achieve global Sustainable development
and put the goals set out in Agenda 21 and the Habitat Agenda into more concrete terms.
URBAN 21 is aimed at all experts, practitioners, politicians and non-governmental
organizations, who are involved in the development of towns and cities and who support the
improvement of living and environmental conditions and of building structures in urban
areas.
THE GLOBAL INITIATIVE FOR
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
URBAN 21 implements one of the cardinal points of the Global Initiative for Sustainable
Development undertaken by Brazil, Germany, Singapore and South Africa. The four partner
countries have agreed to hold regional conferences in their respective regions to prepare
for the Global Conference URBAN 21
World Conference on Model Cities Singapore, 19-21 April 1999
European Metropolitan Regions - Strategies for a Sustainable Development (on invitation)
Essen / Germany, 15-17 September 1999
Latin American Preparatory Conference Rio de Janeiro / Brazil, November 1999
African Preparatory Conference Johannesburg / South Africa, March 2000
As a further element of the global initiative, a conference bringing together the mayors
of the mega-cities will be held in Berlin immediately before the Global Conference URBAN
21 on 2-3 July 2000.
VENUE AND DATE
International Congress Centre
Berlin, 4-6 July 2000
HOST The Federal Republic of Germany, supported by its partners in the Global Initiative
on Sustainable Development: Brazil, Singapore and South Africa
ORGANIZER Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing
PREPARATION AND ORGANIZATION Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning URBAN 21 Am
Michaelshof 8, D-53177 Bonn
Fax. +49-228-826 315
E-Mail: info@urban21.de
Internet www.urban21.de
The Federal Ministry for Transport, Building and Housing
Federal Office for Building and Regional Planning
URBAN 21 is an event under the broad umbrella of EXPO 2000.
The World Exposition
Germany
WORLD COMMISSION URBAN 21
The World Commission URBAN 21, comprising eminent persons from all parts of the world,
will present a World Report on the Urban Future to the conference. This will analyse the
current global trends in urban development and propose concepts for urban development in
the 21st century. The World Commission will also present a Draft Declaration on the Urban
Future, which it is planned to discuss and "adopt" at the conference.
THE MEMBERS OF THE
WORLD COMMISSION URBAN 21
ELA BHATT
Self-employed Women's
Association, Ahmedabad, India
LUIZ PAULO CONDE
Mayor of Rio de Janeiro
SERGIO CUTOLO DOS SANTOS
Minister for Urban
Development of the Republic
of Brazil
SIR PETER HALL
Urban Planner, London
THOMAS HERZOG
Architect, Munich
TOMMY T. B. KOH
Ambassador-at-Large,
Singapore
VLADIMIR R. KROGIUS
The Scientific and Design
Institute on Reconstruction of
Historic Towns, Moscow
SANKIE D. MTHEMBI-MAHANYELE
Minister for Housing of the
Republic of South Africa
LORD RICHARD ROGERS
Architect, London
ISMAIL SERAGELDIN
Vice-President of the World
Bank, Washington D.C
JAMES GUSTAVE SPETH
Director of the United Nations
Development Programme,
New York, until June 1999
KLAUS TOPFER
Executive Director of the
United Nations Environment
Programme and of the United
Nations Centre for Human
Settlements (Habitat), Nairobi
ERNST ULRICH VON WEIZSACKER
Member of the German
Bundestag; President of the
Wuppertal Institute for Climate,
Environment and Energy
MONIKA WULF-MATHIES
Member of the European
Commission, Brussels, until
September 1999
ZHANG XINSHENG
Former Mayor of Suzhou,
China
THE PROGRAMME
The main topics dealt with at the
Global Conference will be the World Report on the Urban Future and the principal questions
Of urban development raised in the report, such as poverty and social segregation,
environmental pollution, urban sprawl and structural deficiencies in towns and cities,
traffic congestion and inadequate provision of infrastructure facilities - as well as
exemplary solutions to these problems from all parts of the 'World. Selected speakers -
experts and practitioners - will make statements on these issues and indicate perspectives
for the future of towns and cities.
PLENARY SESSIONS The World Commission will present the World Report and the Draft
Declaration which will be discussed at the conference. In addition, the participants will
also be presented the findings of the preparatory conferences and the results of the
Mayors' Conference.
PARALLEL SPECIAL SESSIONS AND PANEL DISCUSSIONS The main topics covered by URBAN 21 will
be dealt with in parallel workshops and discussions.
The city as a place to live The humane city - Vibrant social communities - Cultural and
social diversity - Urban history and cultural identity - Preservation of the historic
building fabric - Quality of architecture and urban development
The social city Adequate housing - Health and hygiene for all citizens - Social
integration - Fighting poverty - Provision of basic facilities - Education
The city and the economy Links between the local, regional and global economy - The future
of work and the economy - The informal economy
Environment and technology in the city Environmentally sound technologies Technology
transfer - Transport management - Urban technology Urban hygiene
Urban fabric and settlement development Concepts and models of spatial development -
Building and planning law - Sustainable land and real estate management - Regional
co-operation
The city of the citizens Decentralization of public responsibilities - Local
self-government - Public participation
ACTORS' FORUMS The Draft Declaration on the Urban Future will be dealt with in various
forums from the standpoint of different groups of actors: Forum of local government
representatives - Forum of parliamentarians - Forum of non-governmental organizations -
Economic forum Forum of planners and architects - Forum of trade unions and foundations
PRESENTATION OF EXAMPLES OF BEST PRACTICE Various sessions will deal with examples of best
practice in the field of urban planning and policy. Examples from the following topic
areas will be presented and discussed: Innovative building projects - Urban renewal and
protection of historic buildings - Slum redevelopment and combating homelessness -
Planning and administrative cultures - Participation and local democracy - Indicators and
performance monitoring
WORKSHOPS ORGANIZED BY NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS Special topics will be
dealt with in workshops run by external organizers.
CLOSING PLENARY The adoption of the Declaration on the Urban Future as a concept for urban
development in the 21st century will be the highlight of URBAN 21,
PRESENTATIONS IN THE FOYER OF THE CONGRESS CENTRE The conference will be accompanied by
exhibitions, poster and multi-media presentations mounted in the foyer of the
International Congress Centre.
EXCURSION PROGRAMME Excursions will be offered before, during and after the conference in
Berlin, in the surrounding area and in other parts of Germany.
BERLIN DAYS There will be two Berlin Days, 7 and 8 July, after the conference.
Participants in the conference will have an opportunity to get to know the host city
Berlin and its surroundings within the framework of specialized events.
VISIT TO EXPO 2000 The global conference URBAN 21 is being held within the framework of
the world exhibition EXPO 2000 in Hanover. After the conference the participants who wish
to visit the world exhibition will be invited to a reception hosted by EXPO 2000 on 7
July.
PARTICIPATION FEES The fee for participating in URBAN 21 is expected to be DM 400.
(students DM 100.-).
FURTHER INFORMATION AND
REGISTRATION The third announcement for URBAN 21 with a detailed programme and a complete
set of registration forms will appear at the beginning of the year 2000.
Further information can be accessed on the Internet at: www.urban21.de
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