Celebrating 30 Years of AESOP and Klaus Kunzmann’s 75th Birthday at the Annual Congress in Lisbon
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Date
2017
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Routledge : Taylor and Francis Group
Abstract
The article reflects on the dual celebration at the 2017 AESOP Annual Congress in Lisbon: the 30th anniversary of AESOP (Association of European Schools of Planning) and the 75th birthday of Klaus Kunzmann, a founding member and the first President of AESOP. The congress theme, “Spaces of Dialogue for Places of Dignity: Fostering the European Dimension of Planning”, underscores the role of inclusive and socially sensitive urban planning in counteracting divisive political tendencies in Europe.
The event featured multiple celebratory initiatives, including a special symbolic session and an exhibition of Kunzmann’s sketches, organized by João Cabral and Wang Fang. The article emphasizes the significance of planning education and transnational cooperation as means to strengthen European identity and resist nationalist regression.
Keynote speakers included:
Simin Davoudi (urban researcher and former AESOP President),
José Manuel Viegas (transport policy expert and OECD figure),
Joan Clos (former UN-Habitat Executive Director and Mayor of Barcelona),
Viriato Soromenho Marques (philosopher and environmental advisor).
The program featured 21 thematic tracks organized into six broader categories, covering topics from planning theory and inclusive cities to smart city policies and urban futures. A record-breaking number of abstract submissions (over 1200) and 25 proposed roundtables highlighted the congress’s scale and relevance.
The article concludes by acknowledging the dedicated work of the Local Organizing Committee and the AESOP Executive Committee in making the event a success.
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All Rights Reserved
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Pinho, P., 2017. Celebrating 30 Years of AESOP and Klaus Kunzmann’s 75th Birthday at the Annual Congress in Lisbon. disP - The Planning Review 53, 120–122.