Our increasingly urbanised world is struggling with the challenge of developing cities that are sustainable in the long term. Cities on a global level need to function as driving forces to bring about change and solutions to global challenges such as poverty, segregation and climate change.

The 56th IFHP World Congress aims to develop an understanding of different levels of urban development from a number of perspectives: the immediate environment, the city as a totality and cities on a global level. The Congress aims to examine the interrelationship between the social, financial and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The primary focus will be on social sustainability with the overall theme The Inclusive City in a Global World, which will have two main focuses

• How can social planners and urban developers together with other bodies contribute to counteracting growing social segregation in our cities?
• Many of the world's cities are about to embark on major urban transformation projects. For whom and with whom we are developing our cities and what are the new tools available to us?

The content and focal area on each day of the Congress will be different:

• Monday, September 17 deals with the knowledge required to handle uncertainty and complexity in urban development issues.
• Tuesday, September 18 deals with political visions and ambitions to meet future challenges.
• Wednesday, September 19 will be an opportunity for discussion to identify the tools of the future.