From Wealthy to Healthy Cities - Urbanism and Planning for the Well-Being of Citizens
In Search of a new Planning Agenda for Urban Health, Socio-Spatial Justice and Climate Resilience
The Brussels-Capital Region and State Region and State Secretary, Pascal Smet, hosted the 58th ISOCARP World Planning Congress in Brussels, Belgium. The regional public service urban.brussels ensured the organisation in cooperation with perspective.brussels and environment.brussels, and with the support of visit.brussels. Taking place from 3 to 6 October 2022, the 58th ISOCARP Congress focused on the intersection of planning, well-being and socio-economic justice in conjunction with this year's theme: From Wealthy to Healthy Cities.
 |  |  |  |  |
Simin Davoudi | Charles Landry | Erik Swyngedouw | Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen | Philippe Rahm |
“Maison de la Poste”, Tour & Taxis Site The 2022 World Planning Congress was staged in the “Maison de la Poste” - a former Post Office - conveniently situated in the heart of Brussels, in the Gare Maritime on the Tour & Taxis urban regeneration site. Tour & Taxis is one of Brussels’ most interesting historical sites brought back to life as a major project for sustainable urbanization in the city center. |
58TH ISOCARP WPC - BRUSSELS DECLARATION
Urbanism and Planning for the Well-Being of Citizens
A New Planning Agenda for Urban Health, Socio-Spatial Justice and Climate Resilience
The 58th ISOCARP World Planning Congress has been hosted by Brussels Capital Region on 3-6 October 2022. Participants met in times of multiple and interrelated crises including the Covid19 pandemic, climate crises, wars, increasing economic, social inequality and triggering new environmental disaster. These times have a dramatic impact on cities and urged Congress participants to rethink how we build our cities. These times call planners to have an active and courageous role in affirming that a different city is possible that ensures quality of life for all.
With the congress-theme 'From Wealthy to Healthy Cities', the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and the Brussels Capital Region highlighted the need for conceiving another world where collective wellbeing is put at the centre of political agendas and no one is left behind. Even before the Covid19 pandemic many cities lagged and the gaps continue to widen. Therefore, it is essentially a quest for an economy that prioritizes people, places, and the planet and moves beyond profit and growth to prioritizing social, cultural and ecological wellbeing. Hence, it is time to take a rights-based approach and reclaim affordable housing, sustainable mobility, viable water and energy management and access to basic goods and services as rights, not merely as commodities. We need to overcome all the barriers to diversity and equity, ensure socio-cultural and economic inclusion and strive for attaining socio-spatial justice, including an equitable use of spaces and a just land use management.
 |  |  |  |
