World Town Planning Day
November 8, 2024 | Homes Start With Planning
World Town Planning Day 2024
Call For Proposals:
The American Planning Association and its International Division, along with our partners at the Canadian Institute of Planners, invite planners and related professionals to submit proposals for the 75th World Town Planning Day online conference to be held on Friday, 8 November 2024.
WTPD 2024 will be a virtual global conference with events organized by Global Planners Network-member associations across time zones from morning in New Zealand to evening in the USA/Canada. American Planning Association events will be scheduled between 10 am and 4 pm New York time.
WTPD 2024 will focus on the role of planners and planning in delivering housing that meets the needs of our communities and in helping to create equitable, inclusive, and sustainable solutions for all.
The provision of adequate homes for all is a challenge everywhere. Challenges vary with national context requiring multi-level, collaborative, and holistic approaches – bringing together communities, private, civil society, and public sector actors, governments, and professionals.
Presentations should be of potential interest to planners working in varying settings internationally including the USA; presenters should anticipate the need to explain US terms and context so that planners participating from abroad will understand the presentation.
Sessions will be submitted for Certification Maintenance credit authorization, so proposers should anticipate stating instructional objectives in line with the AICP CM program.
Conference Tracks
Planning, homes, and regeneration/redevelopment or expansion
Experiences and proposals to advance housing in existing and new communities
Planning, homes, and social justice
Efforts to advance equity, diversity, inclusion, health, and other social values through housing planning
Planning, homes, and finance
Programs and ideas for building affordability and/or financing greater availability
Planning, homes, and climate
Housing planning to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance resilience
Proposal/Event Formats
60-minute Sessions
Pre-organized sessions involving three to six speakers around a cohesive theme. The format may be the traditional sequencing of presentations with at least 10 minutes reserved for questions and discussion, or innovative formats involving greater levels of speaker interaction and/or audience participation, perhaps including online polling of attendees.
Fast and Fun Series
Proposals should be for 10-minute presentations by individual speakers. These will be grouped into sessions by topic, with 15 minutes reserved for questions and discussion.
Student Speaker Series
Proposals should be for 10-minute presentations by individual graduate students or recent graduates reporting research or practice offering lessons for planners. These will be grouped into sessions by topic, with 15 minutes reserved for questions and discussion.
Why Participate
- Draw attention to innovations and progress of urban and regional planning around the globe, helping U.S. planners to identify promising practices for use in the U.S.A.
- Highlight valuable contributions planning has made in US settings that may be applicable internationally.
- Build connections with overseas planners enriching future projects and careers.
- Promote urban/regional/territorial planning work to elected officials and members of the public globally.
Things to Know
- Proposals are welcome for work done in the US and abroad.
- Proposers will be given notice of selection decisions via email by 4 October.
- If selected, proposers should be prepared to submit final presentation materials by 25 October.
- Presenters must have access to a computer system capable of running Zoom software, equipped with a microphone, speakers, and webcam, and with a reliable Internet connection.
- Sessions will be recorded for potential viewing through APA channels in the future.
- Proposers will be asked to provide a session description, learning objectives for the session, and presenter info including short biosketches.
About World Town Planning Day
On World Town Planning Day, 8 November every year, planners and communities all over the world come together to celebrate how good planning improves the lives of people and benefits society at large, creating places where to live, work, and play together.
Argentinian professor Carlos María della Paolera, a graduate at the Institut d'urbanisme in Paris, started World Town Planning Day in Buenos Aires in 1949.
World Town Planning Day is celebrated in 30 countries on four continents each November. It is a special day to recognize and promote the role of planners and planning in creating healthy, prosperous communities.
APA members are invited to share their knowledge and leading practices with colleagues around the world on this day, and also to learn from international success stories in housing for all; building city resilience; planning responses to urban crisis; inclusive and ambitious climate measures, and other areas that would enhance U.S. planning practice.