His Highness welcomed the Riyadh Municipality. In a recorded speech, His Highness welcomed the participants from inside and outside the Kingdom, expressing his happiness that Riyadh is hosting this global scientific gathering dedicated to discussing the future of cities and their common challenges, stressing that the outcomes of the conference will be of benefit to our cities and their residents, by benefiting from the recommendations and applying them.
His Highness the Secretary of the Region welcomed the participants from inside and outside the Kingdom. During his speech, His Highness highlighted the great transformations that Riyadh has witnessed, from a small city in the middle of the last century with a population of 50,000 residents to more than 8 million people during this stage, indicating that the city has become a global presence and influence.
His Highness concluded by inviting Riyadh to this global scientific gathering dedicated to discussing the future of cities and their common challenges. His Highness concluded by inviting participants to discover the history of Riyadh, its urban heritage and the future projects that are being built to realize the Kingdom's vision, expressing his hope that the conference deliberations will contribute to formulating new directions that serve cities and build a brighter future for all of our cities.
His Highness concluded by inviting participants to discover Riyadh's history, urban heritage and future projects that are being built to realize the Kingdom's vision. In her speech during the opening ceremony, ISOCARP board member and conference director Wafaa Al-Daily reviewed the role of women and youth as a key pillar to lead urban transformation, stressing the importance of balanced planning between neighborhoods and regions as a basis for resilient cities.
During her speech, Al-Daily highlighted the importance of balanced planning between neighborhoods and regions as a basis for resilient cities. <Al-Daily said: “Today we celebrate the diamond jubilee of ISOCARP, six decades of collective work to support and develop city and regional planning,” noting that the Council's logo reflects the aspirations of Riyadh and the Kingdom's Vision 2030, as well as the aspirations of cities around the world.”
Daily said.
<She added: ”Today, we live in a time when the challenges of nature and human disasters intersect, forcing planners to play a greater role than ever before.“
The ISOCARP Council annually brings together planning experts from around the world to discuss the most pressing issues facing cities and decision-makers.
For her part, Dr. Nadine Al Bitar, Rapporteur General of the Council, said that resilience is not just a technical option, but a societal necessity imposed by climate challenges and digital transformation, it is an open invitation to build cities that put people first.
Resilience is not just a technical option, but a societal necessity. She added that urban resilience is the inevitable path to face climate challenges and digital transformations, and our presence today in Riyadh is an affirmation of our commitment to work to unite global efforts to transform ambitious plans into a concrete reality that serves the future and well-being of humanity.
Rapporteur General of the Council, Dr. Nadine Al Bitar, said that resilience is not just a technical option, but a societal necessity imposed by climate challenges and digital transformation. Dr. Ulrich Grout, Rapporteur General of the Council, said: ”Riyadh has witnessed an exceptional journey of transformation, as its population doubled between 2008 and 2025, and today the Council team presents scientific content that reflects this diversity and keeps pace with rapid growth.“ He pointed out that the Scientific Committee was keen to present content that reflects the geographical and professional diversity in the field of urban planning, and we put in your hands a summary of a careful review of hundreds of research papers that draw a roadmap for the cities of tomorrow.
The opening ceremony witnessed the presentation of a presentation of the roadmap for the cities of tomorrow.
<The opening ceremony witnessed a cultural performance, and attendees took a group photo at the end of the ceremony.
This year's Council will explore a wide range of urban topics including climate resilience, digital transformation, inclusive governance, urban justice, quality of life, population expansion, resource management, critical infrastructure development, global experiences in data-driven planning and artificial intelligence, and envisioning more sustainable pathways for city growth.
The Council's program will include sessions on climate resilience, digital transformation, inclusive governance, urban justice, quality of life, population expansion, resource management, critical infrastructure development, as well as global experiences in data-driven planning and artificial intelligence. The Council's program includes plenary sessions with the participation of ministers, mayors and leaders of international organizations, specialized workshops in which leading planners, engineers and international experts share their experiences, in addition to master classes that present innovative models in dealing with urban challenges, and field tours in locations within Riyadh that show the scale of the transformations taking place in the capital in the fields of urban design, public space development, housing, transportation and infrastructure.
The Council's program will be launched at the Riyadh City Council, which will be held in Riyadh.
The Council will launch several initiatives, most notably the Young Planners Initiative, which gives the next generation of planners a space to formulate their visions for the future of cities, as well as high-level policy meetings that bring together city leaders and decision-makers to chart new directions in urban development.
This year's Council will take place in Riyadh. This year's Council coincides with the 60th anniversary of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISCP), reflecting its global influence and role in advancing planning practices.
This year's Council is being hosted by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISCP). This is part of Riyadh Municipality's efforts to promote sustainable urban development, provide high-quality services, and build effective partnerships towards a vibrant community, in line with its vision to be a pioneering municipality for a prosperous and sustainable Riyadh that improves the quality of life.
Riyadh Municipality's vision to be a pioneering municipality for a prosperous and sustainable Riyadh.
