Why Cities Struggle to Implement – and How Urban Future Responds

2026 Event Programme Revealed: From city centres and democracy to AI and circular construction

JANUARY 19, 2026 | LJUBLJANA – Across Europe, cities know what needs to change. The harder question is how.

This challenge sits at the core of the newly released programme for Urban Future 2026 (UF26), Europe’s Better-Cities Event, taking place in Ljubljana from March 24–27. The programme brings together sessions that focus on turning ambition into action – examining how cities move from strategies and plans to real, lasting transformation.

At the centre of the agenda are some of the most contested and urgent urban topics in Europe today: the future of city centres and public space, the limits of traditional masterplanning, the role of tactical urbanism in driving policy change, and the responsibility of cities to defend democratic values while navigating the rapid rise of artificial intelligence and circular construction.

Hosted in Ljubljana – widely regarded as a European frontrunner in liveability, people-centred planning, and circular approaches – Urban Future 2026 positions the city itself as a living case study for debates currently shaping urban policy across the continent.

Bringing together more than 2,000 urbanists, city leaders, and change-makers, UF26 will feature 200 speakers, 100 partners, and around 150 mayors and city representatives, all focused on one goal: making cities better places to live.

The full programme is now available: UF26 Programme.

ON THE URBAN AGENDA:

Among more than 60 sessions across six tracks, the following highlights offer a snapshot of the ambition, honesty, and political relevance of the UF26 agenda:

Who’s in Charge?
How to organize for city center management
No one “owns” the city center – yet someone must lead its transformation. This interactive session explores who actually drives change in city centers around the world, from public agencies to private actors and hybrid partnerships. Through international case stories, expert conversations, and hands-on tools, participants will compare what works, what doesn’t, and how cities can better organize and govern their most visible neighborhoods.

Hacking the Urban Masterplan
How to plan for spontaneity and adaptability
Tactical urbanism is fast and experimental; masterplanning is slow and structured. But what happens when the two collide? Hear directly from masterplanners and tactical urbanists about the reality of using experimentation to shape long-term plans – and how cities can become more flexible, people-centered, and responsive.

Meet Circular Inventors
How to bring circular construction ideas to market
Circular construction is ready for the mainstream – and the innovators are here to prove it. Meet the winners of the latest Call for Action supported by the Circular Buildings Coalition and explore breakthrough projects using secondary materials, new tools, and bold business models to reshape the construction sector.

Playing with Fire
How to change an organization from the top
Touch a city’s power structures and you risk conflict – or worse. Hear personal stories from leaders who dared to use their formal authority to push reform, survived resistance, and made institutions move. Honest lessons, real risks, and clear takeaways included.

Defending Democracy
How to grow antibodies against extremism
Cities can act like immune systems, spotting early warning signs before hate and extremism spread. This session explores how trust, dialogue, shared spaces, and strong relationships help cities stay open, fair, and democratic – even under pressure. Participants will leave with practical ideas they can apply immediately.

AI for Urban Change
How to live productively with AI
AI is already reshaping how cities work – from jobs and energy use to daily life and social connection. This session asks the big question: who is AI really working for in our cities? Explore how municipalities can use AI to genuinely benefit residents without creating new problems.

AN IMPACTFUL AGENDA FOR BETTER CITIES

These sessions represent just a snapshot of the six-track UF26 programme, co-created with global experts to tackle Europe's most pressing urban challenges:

1. City Centres: Power, pressure, and the future of urban life
2. Tactical Urbanism: Testing change through temporary action
3. Circularity: From ambition to real-world impact
4. Resilient Cities: Designing for constant change
5. Innovation in Governance: How municipalities reinvent systems, services, and roles
6. Change Communications: When communication makes - or breaks - sustainability

MORE THAN TALKS: EXPERIENCES, FIELD TRIPS & CONNECTIONS

Beyond the sessions, UF26 offers 30 immersive field trips, hands-on workshops, and exclusive networking opportunities designed to turn insights into action.

On the first and fourth conference days, participants can experience Ljubljana through curated visits such as Bike Street, Rog Reborn, City Safari, Railway Makeover, and more.

Much of what defines Urban Future happens between sessions: during breaks, after hours, and at side events like the CityChangers Night Out, Urban Future’s #1 social gathering, Movie Night by Just Streets, and live fast street art by Italian artist Greg Goya.

WHO WILL BE THERE

Urban Future brings together game-changers from urban planning, architecture, mobility, energy, real estate, construction, and beyond – meeting without barriers, hierarchies, or silos.

“Our Urban Future community is united by an unwavering commitment to elevating life in our cities,” says Gerald Babel-Sutter, CEO and co-founder of Urban Future.

Across the programme, speakers share not only their successes, but also their failures and hard-earned lessons. Here is a list of the change-makers who speak at UF26: UF26 Speakers.

TOGETHER. THE ONLY WAY TO MAKE IMPACT.

More than 70 international companies, organizations and businesses are partners of UF26. These include iChoosr, Laudes Foundation, Toni Piech Foundation, City of Vienna, SpiritSlovenia, Team Berlin, C40, All Things Urban, Just Streets, AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology, Carbon Neutral Cities Alliance, Eurocities and Cities Forum, and many more.

About Urban Future.

Conference? Festival? Event? Urban Future is everything! It is Europe’s most inspiring event for people who drive change to make our cities more sustainable. Be it mayors, architects, mobility experts, city planners, scientists, sustainability managers, representatives from start-ups, environmentalists, innovation experts or others. What unites them is their passion for better cities.

Accreditation for journalists. You are welcome to sign up for UF26 HERE.

Press Contact:
Lisa Marie Weber, Head of Communications
UFGC GmbH, Urban Future
+43 669 13331321
media@urban-future.org
urban-future.org