Since the role of planning in guiding sustainable development is widely recognized, its value has only been heightened during an unprecedented global pandemic. Thus World Town Planning Day activities in 2020 will be powered by a renewed sense of urgency on Thursday, November 12, at the UH Mānoa campus.
Themed “Effective Community Engagement on Virtual Platforms During the Pandemic,” the event is co-organized by the Department of Urban and Regional Planning (DURP) in the College of Social Sciences and the American Planning Association’s Hawai‘i chapter. The public is invited to virtually view activities from 5:30-8 p.m.
Keynote speaker is Cami Kloster, a senior planner at G70 with over 15 years of experience in watershed planning with Hawai‘i communities. G70 is a leading Honolulu firm specializing in architecture, design, civil engineering and planning. After Kloster’s keynote speech, there will be online short talks, discussions and interactive activities featuring a panel of experts from academia, public and private sectors.
DURP will bestow a Planner Who Made a Difference Award in recognition of an individual’s sustained, exceptional and transformative service to Hawai‘i through planning practice.
Suwan Shen, DURP associate professor, is lead organizer of World Town Planning Day at UH Mānoa, assisted by DURP alumnus Cody Winchester.
“Over the years, World Town Planning Day has drawn attention to the role of planning in creating livable communities, by bringing professional planners and the general public closer together, and enabling people to appreciate planning from global and local perspectives,” according to the International Society of City and Regional Planners.
Practicing certified planners may earn certification maintenance credits by attending the virtual keynote talk, presentations and panel discussion on November 12. Register by November 1 at https://manoa.hawaii.edu/durp/.
The public may virtually view the November 12 keynote speech and awards ceremony from 5:30-8 p.m. registering through XXX or sending an email by November 1 to idurp@hawaii.edu.
World Town Planning Day is officially celebrated on Sunday, November 8. It is the brainchild of the late Carlos Maria della Paolera, a professor at the University of Buenos Aires.
