The objectives of ISoCaRP include the improvement of planning practice through the creation of a global and active network of planners. ISoCaRP encourages exchange between planners, promotes the profession in all aspects, stimulates research, improves education and training, increases information and awareness on major planning issues.

The 2006 ISoCaRP Congress will explore the contemporary challenges and emerging opportunities that cities are facing vis-à-vis influential forces that can be summarised as integrative and disintegrative. This year’s framework builds on themes examined in previous ISoCaRP congresses, such as globalisation and its influence on planning (2003), the management of the city region (2004) and the spaces produced by and required for the “creative economy” (2005). By integrative forces we refer to, inter alia, strategies formulated by urban stakeholders to position their cities in the global arena, including institutional actions undertaken via growth-friendly policy and market initiatives realised through mega projects. These set of efforts aiming for urban competitiveness have nevertheless revealed the other side of the coin –how cities have become exposed to tides of disintegrative forces, which, scholars assert, has caused urban systems to be drawn to spatial, cultural, social and economic fragmentation.

The interplay of this framework, at remarkable magnitudes of scale and speed, has perhaps uncovered a gap between the planner and the doer. Is planning a hurdle for economic growth based on real estate industries? Is rapid urban development just non-sustainable land speculation? Observers of the current status of our cities might conclude that there could be some truth in both questions. It is a fact that construction and property industries are pillars to the world economy and is also undeniable that cities in both the developed and developing world are exposed to escalating pressures, as we have witnessed in the social unrest occurred in December of 2005 in the heart of Europe.

Cities Between Integration and Disintegration - Oportunities and Challenges
The Organisation reserves the right for possible changes in this preliminary programme. 

14 September 2006
Venue: Yildiz Technical University
Arrival of Congress Participants
14.00 – 18.00 : Registration
14.00 – 18.00 : Power Point Rehearsal Rooms (5) available to Authors
18.00 – 19.30 : Two Parallel Sessions with presentations of the Workshop results of the Young Planning Professionals
All Young Planning Professionals invite congress participants to listen to the results of their workshops and to give feedback in an open debate (Project descriptions see Special Workshops)
LOC-ISoCaRP Young Planning Professionals Workshop
VROM-ISoCaRP Young Planning Professionals Workshop
20.00 : Welcome Reception offered by the Local Organising Committee

15 September 2006
Venue: CRR Conference Hall
All day: Opening Session
Introduction by General Rapporteur and Congress Team

Keynote Presentations:
- Dr Ron van Oers, The Netherlands (UNESCO, Paris - France)
"Preventing the Goose with the Golden Eggs from catching Bird Flu - UNESCO's Efforts in Safeguarding the Historic Urban Landscape"
- Prof Frank Moulaert, Belgium (University of Newcastle - United Kingdom)
"Social Innovation and urban Development: The Role of public Policy"
- Prof Maura Veras, Brasil (Pontifical Catholic University of Sao Paulo)
"Urban Society: Inequalities and social Exclusion: Probematizing the Brazilian Cities"
- Vice Minister Mr Qui Baoxing represented by Mr Li Xiaojiang (President China Academy
of  Urban Planning)
"China's Urbanization and Urban Planning in the Context of Globalization"
Forum: Local Actors in Cities between Integration and Disintegration
Late Afternoon: Technical Tour - Bosphorus Excursion

16 September 2006
Morning: Mayors’ Summit - Venue: CRR Conference Hall
Afternoon: Venue: Yildiz Technical University
Lunch
Workshop Parallel Sessions 1
Workshop Parellel Sessions 2
Evening: Bureau Meeting - Venue: Point Hotel

17 September 2006
Venue: Yildiz Technical University
Morning: Workshop Parallel Sessions 3
Workshop Parallel Sessions 4
Early Afternoon: Workshop Parallel Sessions 5
Workshop Parallel Sessions 6
Late Afternoon:Presentations ISoCaRP Urban Task Forces (3 Parallel Sessions)
Evening: Reception

18 September 2006
Morning: ISoCaRP General Assembly
Afternoon: Closing Session
- Reports by the Congress Team
- Conclusions by General Rapporteur
- Feedback and Discussion
- Award Ceremony
- Presentation of 2007 Congress

Programme
10 September 2006 
Arrival YPPs in Istanbul, Evening Welcome

11-13 September 2006
Workshop

14 September 2006 (Congress Venue, late afternoon)
Presentation of Results of YPPs Workshops (parallel sessions) 

Post-Congress Activities
19 - 20 September 2006 (Tours and Events)
2-day Mobile Workshop in Istanbul: “Connecting Cities, Connecting Istanbul”

21 - 23 September 2006 (Tours and Events)
3-day Tour to Cappadoccia