The first event organised by the ARL working group “Die Zukunft der Planung” (=”The Future of Planning”) took place on Tuesday, July 9. The working group will organised a special session with the aim to present scenarios of alternative futures for spatial planning and to discuss the need for action resulting from the scenarios. It is about thinking about the planning of the day after tomorrow, about the societal value of integrative approaches of responsible spatial development in the 21st century.

On Wednesday, July 10, two international working groups, "Gender and Climate– Just Cities and Urban Regions" and "Gender and Spatial Transformation," hosted a joint special session titled “It’s just about Gender. Socio-Ecological Transformation from Gender and Intersectional Perspectives”. The session addressed the lack of gender and intersectional dimensions of spatiality in the sense of power relations within both theoretical and practical debates about sustainable urban development.

On the same day, the international working group "Urban Planning for Health Equity" organized a round table. They presented the initial results of their interdisciplinary work, which integrates insights from urban and landscape planning, architecture, public health, social work, economics, and nutrition. Their goal is to provide new perspectives on urban planning that promote health equity, which is essential for creating vibrant and healthy living environments for all.

The ARL provided financial support to participants from the working groups who may not have full funding from their home institutions. This initiative specifically supports emerging researchers and professionals, allowing them to present their findings to a large international audience.