Wellington, New Zealand, is set to host the 62nd ISOCARP World Planning Congress in 2027, bringing a global community together to focus on vital topics in city and regional planning, including sustainable urban development, equity, regenerative practices, technology, and climate change.
Around 500 city planners, policymakers, researchers, and urban innovators are expected to attend the congress, which will take place at Tākina Wellington Convention & Exhibition Centre, 27-30 April 2027.
The event will be hosted by Wellington City Council, with support from Business Events Wellington and Tourism New Zealand Business Events. It is expected to inject nearly NZ$975,000 into the local economy.
Elisabeth Belpaire, president of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), said: “Hosting the 62nd ISOCARP World Planning Congress in Wellington places the Pacific at the centre of the conversation – where questions of resilience, regeneration, indigenous knowledge, and spatial equity are not abstract, but lived realities.”
She noted that New Zealand’s commitment to incorporating Te Ao Māori perspectives into planning and governance, as well as Wellington’s civic culture, also played significant roles in the destination choice.
ISOCARP board director Dr Greg Mews added: “Wellington becomes more than a backdrop; it becomes a living laboratory for integrated planning practices. The city’s scale enables excellent proximity between decision-makers, practitioners, and communities to shift the dial toward regenerative practices.
“Hosting the Congress in Wellington lets us connect global insights with place-based and life-centred innovations, showing how cities and regions can respond to complexity with agility, care, and imagination.”
Wellington City mayor Andrew Little said: “It’s exciting to welcome this global congress of city planners to the capital in 2027, where bold ideas and local innovation come together to shape cities for the future.”
Business Events Wellington manager Loryn Blaikie added: “Hosting ISOCARP will showcase Wellington as a leading city for urban planning, sustainability and liveability, while strengthening New Zealand’s voice and reputation within the city planning community.”
ISOCARP is a members-led global organisation with over 700 individual and institutional members from over 90 countries.
For more information visit: WellingtonNZ.com/meet
