Future of Places
International Conference

Stockolm, Sweden
UN HABITAT
PPS | Project for Public Spaces
Ax:son Johnson Foundation 

On June 24-26th, 2013 in Stockholm, Placemaking leaders from around the world will gather together with UN officials, representatives from international government agencies, NGOs, designers, change agents, mayors, local politicians, and other place-centered actors for The Future of Places, the first of three linked conferences that will develop a ‘Future of Places Declaration’ to influence the discussion at the Habitat III gathering in 2016.
 

CONFERENCE THEME
The Future of Places forum will highlight how and why cities need to embrace a people centered approach in order to achieve positive urbanization and not fall victim to the negative attributes of urbanization.
The first conference will focus on defining the urgency, the problems and the potential of ‘places’ in the coming years – both in the developing and the developed world. Will be introduced best practices and current methods for the further  progression of ‘places’, and detailed analyses of the economic and social value of placemaking.

SPECIFIC THEMES
Three ‘strategic themes’ have been defined for prompting bureaucratic innovation: 
1. Governance of Place; 
2. Place Capital; 
3. Healthy Communities.
There is also significant evidence that using a Place-Based/Placemaking approach adds significantly to a set of movements such as Smart Growth, Sustainable Communities, Community Health, Economic Development, etc.

STEERING COMMITTEE
• Thomas Melin, Chair | Head of the Office of External Relations, UN Human Settlements Programme
• Peter Elmlund | Project Leader, Urban City Research
• Kathy Madden | Senior Vice President, PPS
• Fred Kent | President, PPS
• Ethan Kent | Vice President, PPS
• Rafael Tuts | UN-Habitat
• Peter Smith | Chief Executive Officer, Adelaide City Council
• Mary Jane C. Ortega | Secretary General, CITYNET
• Celine D’Cruz | Coordinator, Slum Dwellers International
• Tigran Haas | Ph.D., Associate Professor of Urban Design at Royal Institute of Technology
• Peter Stonham | Editor, writer, and specialist information distributor, Landor Links Group
• Charles C. Bohl | Ph.D., University of Miami’s School of Architecture
• Cecilia Martinez | Director of the UN-Habitat Office, New York

SPEAKERS 
This Forum on Public Space and Placemaking will consist of representatives from Local Authorities and Associations, Academia, Civil Society and the Private Sector. The selected speakers are made up of both experts in the realm of public space and those representing specific sectors that are considered essential to the topic. 

ORGANIZERS
• Responsible persons UN Habitat | Thomas Melin 
• PPS | Fred Kent 
• Ax:son Johnson Foundation | Peter Elmlund 

INFORMATIONS AND CONTACTS
• Conference Website

• Ellinor Carlsson | Conference Secretariat
EMAIL | info@futureofplaces.com
TEL | +46 8 788 50 00 

• Ax:son Johnson Foundation
ADDRESS | Stureplan 3, SE-103 75 Stockholm, Sweden
TEL | +46 8 788 50 50
FAX | +46 8 788 50 60