TRADITION AND TRANSFORMATION - THE FUTURE OF THE CITY (11 - 15 May 2005)

For as long as there have been cities, they have been important economic, political, and cultural centres attracting large parts of the population. Today, too, people around the world move to cities in search of work and better prospects. In 2007, half of the world's population will live in urban areas, and in 2015, more than 600 million people will live in cities with a population of more than 5 million, two-thirds of which will be located in developing countries. Despite all the risks and conflicts this development will entail, metropolitan regions are far from being just gigantic trouble spots. Instead, they are also increasingly becoming global centres of communication, innovation, and growth for business and the scientific community. At the same time, they set the pace for social developments and trends in culture and fashion.

Twenty years of activity of the METROPOLIS city network, which represents more than 80 cities worldwide with more than one million inhabitants, have shown that metropolises are undergoing a process of fundamental change and that sustainable solutions have to be found, particularly for the following problems:

• The tremendous growth of traffic has regularly entailed the complete breakdown of the traffic system in many cities. Reducing and successfully managing private traffic is thus indispensable to the "future of the city," as well as a stronger promotion of environmentally friendly means of transportation.
• Urban waste management must be improved by reducing the amount of waste, increasing recycling efforts, and employing new technologies.
• Clean water is a valuable resource that must be ensured by effective urban water management.
• Urban poverty and pollution are great challenges for cities. Models for preventing developments of this kind and for renewing disadvantaged urban neighbourhoods are becoming more and more important.
• The collection and analysis of data and indicators that help us to recognize urban development problems at an early stage are important building blocks for improved city management and an efficient administration.
• "Metropolitan governance" is aiming at an efficient urban governance involving the local population and local players.

The 8th World Congress of Metropolis 2005 will focus on the issues described above and include the presentation of innovative ideas from business and the science community. We thus want to contribute to the process of transforming cities around the world into liveable, democratic metropolises ready to meet the challenges of the future, while taking due account of the different traditions of cities and their residents. Metropolis' Standing Commissions, additional workshops, excursions, a Women' s Congress, a Youth Congress, as well as two training seminars offer experts an excellent forum for establishing contacts and exchanging experiences at an international level.

Berlin's Carnival of Cultures will serve as an entertaining conclusion to the Congress. This cheerful and colourful event has demonstrated for years how a cosmopolitan way of life and cultural diversity can enrich live in a city.

Ingeborg Junge-Reyer
Senator for Urban Development, Berlin
Vice-president of Metropolis Europe