Kaitiakitanga – New Balances through Planning in the Age of Uncertainty

27–30 April 2027, Wellington, New Zealand

Dear ISOCARP members and ISOCARP friends,

We are pleased to announce the Call for Track Rapporteurs for the upcoming 62nd ISOCARP World Planning Congress. The Congress is seeking two Track Rapporteurs for each Congress Track to support the overall coordination and smooth delivery of the parallel track sessions throughout the Congress.

Applications are open until 5th of October.

Cities are at the frontline of response to multiple crises that the contemporary world faces, which, if managed well, could open up tremendous possible futures for the way we plan, manage, and govern cities.

As a home for already more than half of the world’s population, centres of innovation, magnets of talent, and locus of economic productivity, cities are uniquely placed to reflect on the quality of life, address well-being, and prototype solutions to global problems, capturing advances in Artificial Intelligence for the benefit of all people. At the same time, cities are called to lead the response to the climate crisis through localizing global frames of reference towards urban resilience.

At this crucial point, the global urban planning community and associated disciplines are rethinking processes, urban development models, and planning across scales to forge new pathways for cities to adapt to the convergence of crises and take on opportunities for a better quality of life for present and future generations. Cities and regions worldwide are putting strategies and resources, learning from peer networks, and prototyping new ways of planning and governing to accelerate implementation and act now.

The 2027 Congress, to be hosted in Aotearoa New Zealand, offers a unique opportunity to learn from Indigenous knowledge systems that understand the relationships between land, water, communities and wellbeing, alongside planning traditions from every continent. It recognises that different places hold different knowledge traditions, and that planning’s future depends on genuine dialogue across this diversity.

The Congress draws inspiration from Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua — I walk backwards into the future, with my eyes fixed on the past — inviting us to balance the knowledges of the past as we transform for the future. We invite the global planning community to Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand, to explore this through the guiding principle of Kaitiakitanga.

Every year, General Rapporteurs and Track Rapporteurs make our congress possible by bringing their expertise to curate the content of tracks, create and moderate quality sessions and engage participants in the productive conversations that are at the heart of the ISOCARP events. We would like to invite you to volunteer for a position as Track Rapporteur in the Congress Team and to indicate of your preferred Track. We are looking forward to receiving applications from the private, public and academic sectors, from all over the world!

Congress Tracks

  • Track 1 Housing, liveability and wellbeing: advancing spatial justice for communities often excluded from planning.

  • Track 2 Climate change and regeneration: understanding complexity, feedback loops and ecosystems, through a dedicated climate action track on resilience, extreme heat impacts, climate adaptation to action on the ground;

  • Track 3 Urban and rural connection: Strengthen the relationship as an essential, interdependent rather than a separate concern;

  • Track 4: Translocal responsibility and governance: understanding networks, flows and lateral connections between places and people;

  • Track 5: Technological innovation: transcending Global South/ North dichotomy with humility, ethics and care.

Track Rapporteurs’ Responsibilities 

​​Track Rapporteurs Benefits​

Being part of the Congress Team is an unforgettable experience and commendable contribution to the advancement of planning knowledge and the strengthening of our society of planners from around the world. Working in a tightly knit team throughout the project and eventually enjoying the outcomes during the event is indeed a highly rewarding and fulfilling endeavour. Last but not least, the networking opportunities and exposure to academics and practitioners in the field is also considerable.

As per ISOCARP policy, Congress Team Rapporteurs shall receive a free Congress registration.

Please note that Track Rapporteurs are expected to cover their own travel, accommodation, and related expenses associated with attending the Congress.

Eligibility Criteria 

Track rapporteurs and the General Rapporteur are expected to:

  1. Have extensive experience and knowledge of the respective track/area they will cover.
  2. Have attended at least one ISOCARP Congress.
  3. Be an ISOCARP member.
  4. Be able to travel to and attend the 62nd ISOCARP World Planning Congress in person, with on-site presence required throughout the Congress.
  5. Be tech-savvy and comfortable navigating online reviewing platforms, meeting platforms, online shared documents and spreadsheets.
  6. Be available to commit to an intensive period of work during November, December, and January, with a significant level of engagement expected in the lead-up to and following the Congress.
  7. Have carefully read key responsibilities of their role and have sufficient time to commit to fulfilling these responsibilities before, during, and after the event.

How to Apply

If you are interested to work as a Track Rapporteur, please fill in the respective form below. You will be asked to upload your CV, a letter of intent (no more than 250 words) and other details. In the process of selecting Congress Team Rapporteurs, we will consider the candidates’ qualifications and experience as well as gender and regional balances.

Application deadline: 5 October 2026. We are looking forward to receiving your applications! For questions, please contact us at: congress@isocarp.org.