[sustran] World Carfree Network - Istanbul conference (27-31.8.2007) update and welcome

[Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory]

 From Randy Ghent, International Coordination Centre, World Carfree Network:


On behalf of World Carfree Network and our hosts, we are happy to invite 
you to join us in Istanbul for this year's Towards Carfree Cities VII 
conference, which will be held from August 27-31.

We also wanted to update you on how things are going with the conference 
preparation. All the relevant information is at 
www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ 
<http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/> or will be added there in the 
next couple of weeks. And of course we're awaiting your creative ideas 
to make the conference as fruitful as possible.

Here's our report:

VENUE

Everything is arranged for using the Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University 
for all of our meetings, activities and for many of our meals. More info 
on the venue is already on the www.worldcarfree.net/conference/ 
<http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/> website. We will be using the 
auditorium, the planning studio, the waterfront outdoor space and the 
cafeteria and café. Everything is arranged for the technical side: 
projectors, screens, etc..

FORMULA 1 RACE 

The Formula 1 Grand Prix car race will be in Istanbul on the weekend of 
August 25-26. Participants can come early to take part in an action 
against the race, to be organised by the Young Greens.

The race will also have the effect of increasing hotel prices for this 
time, but only for four- and five-star hotels.

ACCOMMODATION

Participants need to book their own accommodation, as in past years. The 
web page www.worldcarfree.net/conference/accom.php 
<http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/accom.php> will be updated in a 
week or two with various options. People should book as soon as 
possible. Our suggested budget option is Sultan Hostel 
(www.sultanhostel.com <http://www.sultanhostel.com/>), which has 110 
beds. The three-star suggestion is Sebnem Hotel (www.sebnemhotel.net 
<http://www.sebnemhotel.net>), with 30 beds. If the Sebnem becomes full, 
they will help you book in the adjacent hotels of similar price/quality. 
All of these options are in the Old City (Sultanahmet), a few tram stops 
from the university.

THEME / KEYNOTES

As mentioned before and on the conference website, the theme is 
"Building a Livable Future in a Changing Climate," and this includes 
political, cultural, spatial and environmental change.

In our preparation meetings this past week, we've decided that we'd like 
to invite three keynote speakers as follows:

1)       a representative of the City of Paris (Denis Baupin?), to 
highlight the the city's various ambitious and innovative projects to 
reduce car dependence, improve accessibility for all, and increase 
livability for residents and visitors.

2)       an initiator or coordinator of one of the new carfree 
developments that have been built in Europe, or someone else who can 
provide a good overview of  existing carfree communities.

3)       an urban planner who is developing a transport master plan for 
several cities in Turkey to enhance livability, who can also provide a 
good overview of the changing political climate among decision-makers

If anyone has any more suggestions for keynote speakers, please send 
them to istanbul at worldcarfree.net <mailto:istanbul at worldcarfree.net>.

DEBATES AND STRATEGY SESSIONS

So far we have several ideas for debates:

1)       complete streets (see www.completestreets.org 
<http://www.completestreets.org/> for more info) and shared space (see 
"shared space" entry in Wikipedia) concepts vs. pedestrianisation

2)       mobility vs. proximity (to what extent should we prioritise 
movement vs. living in urban space allocation)

3)       car culture vs. public space culture (for example, if drivers 
get free parking space, shouldn't carfree people also get space to do 
something?)

4)        carbon offsetting (is it really possible to cancel out our 
climate impact by paying someone to cut emissions elsewhere?)

5)       car-based vs. carfree lifestyle (health and environmental impacts)

For strategy sessions we have so far four ideas:

1)       organising carfree days

2)       realising carfree developments and supporting policies

3)       combating car advertising (and increasing carfree advertising)

4)       improving the urban living environment (deep aesthetics, etc..)

Again, if anyone would like to lead or participate in these sessions, or 
if you have other ideas, please contact istanbul at worldcarfree.net 
<mailto:istanbul at worldcarfree.net>.

PROGRAMME (IN GENERAL)

This week we've finished the general framework for the programme, and 
will be uploading it to the website 
(www.worldcarfree.net/conference/programme.php 
<http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/programme.php>) within two weeks.

The deadline for sending in your proposals is April 30, but please send 
them even if you must miss the deadline. See 
www.worldcarfree.net/conference/proposals.php 
<http://www.worldcarfree.net/conference/proposals.php> for details.

OUTREACH/PROMOTION

We will make some promotional materials (leaflet, PDF, digital 
announcement) for the conference. We'd be happy if you could reprint or 
distribute this to your organisations' members or other contacts. The 
more that people hear about the conference, the better. You can also 
simply use the info that's already on the website, or refer people there.

TRAVEL

If you would like to travel by train with other conference participants, 
please use the carfree_network list to state your preferred travel 
dates/locations to connect with others travelling the same route.

Looking forward to seeing you all in August,

Randy and Kevser, in Istanbul


-- 
Randall Ghent
Membership & Conference Coordinator
WORLD CARFREE NETWORK
Kratka 26, 100 00 Prague 10
Czech Republic
tel/fax: +(420) 274 810 849
skype: wcn-icc / randallghent
rghent at worldcarfree.net <mailto:rghent at worldcarfree.net>

-- 
--------------------------------------------

Todd Edelman
Director
Green Idea Factory

Korunní 72
CZ-10100 Praha 10
Czech Republic

++420 605 915 970
++420 222 517 832
Skype: toddedelman

edelman at greenidea.info

Green Idea Factory,
a member of World Carfree Network
www.worldcarfree.net