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Are Mumbai's planning problems so very different from ours?

This year we are delighted to welcome Prathima Manohar as a keynote speaker at the 52^nd International Making Cities Livable Conference on Achieving Green, Healthy Cities. Prathima will be speaking on The challenge to Build Livable Cities in India. She is the founder and editor in chief of the Urban Vision; working primarily out of Mumbai she struggles to develop strategies to overcome haphazard planning regulations while accommodating a rising urban population.

Plaza Memories

By KJ Kresin

When I was growing up my family and I went to Peru every two years to spend a couple months with my mom’s family. Her father lived in Lima but was born in Arequipa, which meant we would stay there for a few weeks at a time. When we weren’t relaxing or exploring with our extended family, my mom would take charge and take us to some hidden gems around the town. One night, while staying in Arequipa a 6.3 earthquake struck the town at two in the morning. When the sun came up, my first thought was, “how do I get out of this earthquake ridden town?” My mom however, without hesitation took me to La Plaza de Armas in the middle of the city.

Have you read the IMCL eReports?

If you are working to make cities more healthy, sustainable and livable, you need these resources. The eReports contain leading-edge talks and presentations by world-renowned keynote speakers and experts.

Simon Conibear will lead a tour of Poundbury

Simon Conibear, Development Manager for the Duchy of Cornwall, will give a keynote talk about Poundbury at the 52^nd IMCL Conference, and lead a walking tour of this model new urban village.

Kevin McCloud, keynote speaker at Bristol Conference

Kevin McCloud, MBE, British designer, writer and television presenter best known for his series Grand Designs, will be a keynote speaker at the 52^nd IMCL Conference in Bristol, June 29-July 3. Kevin’s highly sustainable, affordable residential housing development company HAB Housing, completed their first 42-home project in Swindon in 2011, and is now developing custom build housing scheme in new town developments across England’s south-west counties.

Tjaša Ficko, Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana to speak at 52nd IMCL Conference

In 2016 the City of Ljubljana, Slovenia will be celebrating their year with the title of European Green Capital. We are delighted to announce that Tjaša Ficko, Deputy Mayor of Ljubljana will talk at the Bristol Conference about her city's initiatives that won it this title.

Tours for Bristol Conference

Walk Bristol’s public spaces and harbourside; take the “Green Cycle Tour”; join the boat tour to see Bristol’s new Enterprise Zone; join the group for a guided tour of Poundbury; or enjoy Bath’s Georgian architecture and afternoon tea at the Pump Room. If you are a registered conference participant at the 52^nd IMCL Conference you can now reserve your place on the tours of your choice. These are professional guided tours that augment the theme of the conference. Please see more details on the website.

Video: What Makes Cities Attractive

Alain de Botton, philosopher and author of many wise and entertaining books including “The Architecture of Happiness”, has now produced a video on “What Makes Cities Attractive”. He calls on us all to express our opinions, and to make our city leaders accountable to the citizens, not just to the developers.

Video: Principles for Making Cities Healthy for All

For too long, the economic GDP model has governed how we shape our cities, proposes Suzanne Lennard, and this has resulted in sprawl that is unhealthy for humans, and unsustainable for the planet. Today, the idea that the primary function of the city is to be an “economic engine” is driving cities worldwide to construct “vertical sprawl”, which is proving to be equally unhealthy and unsustainable. Suzanne calls for “Quality of Life” principles to guide the way we shape our cities. These are the principles of True Urbanism, that facilitate community social life, access to nature, and independent mobility, and that result in a hospitable, healthy and sustainable built environment.

Why we need neighborhood squares. Part 8: Joy

By Suzanne H. Crowhurst Lennard

Festivity and celebration are essential to human life. They are an organizing and unifying force in the social life of the neighborhood. At traditional community festivals on a neighborhood square, friends and strangers, old and young work, eat, talk, dance and sing with one another. Divisiveness and conflict are set aside; age and social barriers are diminished.

Are you looking for a speaker?

Suzanne Lennard is available to speak, or as a Consultant on Making Cities Healthy and Livable, Child-friendly Communities, Public Places, etc.

"The conference was one of the most interesting and genuinely useful for information gathering that I’ve been to. The different backgrounds of the participants addressing the same issues was the key."

Joe Anglin Glatting Lopez Kercher Anglin

"A wonderful Conference. I truly believe this is the best Conference on cities."

Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., City of Charleston

"The most important continuous conference dialogue on making the world's cities and towns more livable for all of their inhabitants."

Dr. Sven von Ungern-Sternberg, Governor, State of South Baden, Germany

"Congratulations for your extraordinary and successful effort. The Conference holds a magnifying glass to the world’s best cities, revealing why, and how they work."

Benjamin Thompson, FAIA AIA Gold Medalist

"Love for our cities unites all of us in this unique, impressive conference, with participants from different countries, with different professional backgrounds, but with one purpose: making our cities more livable."

Antonio Casellati Former Mayor, City of Venice, Italy

"Thank you for the utterly fascinating conference in Santa Fe... It has been a long time since I have been intellectually stimulated and been involved with such international creativity and innovations. The conference energized me and I was able to bring back ideas and information to my city."

Councilmember Stephanie Karlin, Avondale, AZ

"What an amazing conference! One of the best professional events I have ever attended!! Well-structured, extremely well-organized and super-high quality of both the presenters and materials presented."

Dr. Mirela Newman, Coordinator, Urban Studies Graduate Program, S Conn St. University

The Forgotten Child

“There is no topic more crucial to the well-being of our cities and of our democracy, and no one more qualified to give it the thoughtful attention it deserves.”