World Town Planning Day 8 November 2007  

Christine Platt, President of the Commonwealth Association of Planners, calls on governments to review policies and approaches to managing urbanisation - before it is too late.  Read more ...

What's WTPD about?

A day that celebrates planning might not be on everyone's calendar yet, but big strides are being taken to boost awareness and change the public's perception of planning.

The Whitbread Group - yes, the pub, grub, club and hotel chain - runs a wonderful website called "Count Me In". This is the place to look if you need to check when National Stop Snoring Week or National Smile Week will fall next year - 18-23 April and 15-21 May respectively, since you ask. On the environment side, everything from International Dawn Chorus Day (2 February) to National Moth Night (9 July) is listed. There is a separate category for United Nations events such as World Habitat Day (the first Monday in October). However, until now, a Day which should be dear to the heart of the Institute has not been included: World Town Planning Day on 8 November. I hope to correct this omission, and offer this brief guide to bring readers of Planning up to speed.

World Town Planning Day was founded in Argentina by Professor Carlos María della Paolera in 1949, the year he also founded the Instituto Superior de Urbanismo at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. His aim was to "advance public and professional interest in planning both locally and abroad" and create "a special day to recognise and promote the role of planning in creating livable communities."

That said, WTPD fell into decline after Professor della Paolera died, except in Turkey, which observed it alone for 20 years. It was revived in 1995 by the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCaRP), and has been promoted steadily ever since, notably by Charles Lambert Hon MRTPI. By its 50th Anniversary in 1999, it was marked in about 30 countries all over the world.
WTPD has the potential to be taken up by RTPI branches which can "badge" events in early November as WTPD observance. However, awareness is still low - something the Institute would like to change, perhaps by selecting a theme nationally and encouraging a programme of regional events to deliver on that theme.

In both Canada and the USA the focus for WTPD will be community involvement in the planning process. In the USA, the American Planning Association (APA) and the American Institute of Certified Planners (AICP) have produced resource packs to encourage local communities to issue proclamations and organise events to publicise the work of planners and promote awareness of the role played by planning locally. In Florida, for example, County planners are involving local elementary school children in a process called 'Box City', a programme delivered by the Centre for Understanding the Built Environment.

In Europe ECTP President Jan Vogelij, the President of the Spanish planners' association AETU and other European planner colleagues will be speaking a special round table marking WTPD this year at the Territorios 21 Conference on 8 and 9 November in Logroño in Rioja, Spain).

The East Midlands branch of the RTPI will be celebrating World Town Planning Day by holding their annual Awards for Planning Achievement in Market Harborough on the morning of Friday November 5th. Mike Hayes, President of the RTPI will be on hand to present the awards celebrating the achievements of regional planners.

It is important to recognise the good work that goes on in planning and just as important to let the outside world know the good things planners do and the positive role planners play in local communities across Britain. As concern grows at the low take-up of places on planning courses, we urgently need to counter negative public perceptions of planners as "preventers" arising from refusal of planning permission or irritation about delays in the appeals process. WTPD - an opportunity to recognise, celebrate and educate - can go some way towards this.

Both APA/AICP and ISoCaRP keep tabs on observance of the day around the world, and AICP hopes to feature 2004 events on its website, so if anyone has any pictures or reports, we will pass them on.

Author:

Judith Eversley

Publisher:

The Royal Town Planning Institute

Date:

08-Nov-07

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