Liveable and Sustainable Cities: ACT Now!
14 – 16 June 2026 | Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre
SINGAPORE, May 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The milestone 10th edition of the World Cities Summit (WCS) 2026 takes place in Singapore from 14 to 16 June this year. Organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), the biennial Summit is a global platform that convenes government leaders, industry experts, and academia to inspire conversations on cities, address urban liveability and sustainability challenges, share integrated urban solutions, and forge new partnerships.
The past nine editions of WCS have welcomed over 140,000 delegates, from more than 250 unique cities, including Ministers, Mayors, and other government leaders. In 2024, WCS hosted over 3,500 delegates from close to 100 cities, including 115 Ministers, Mayors and Governors. Building on this momentum, WCS 2026 continues its commitment to urban excellence while emphasising the transition from dialogue to delivery and identifying priorities for action.
The 10th edition marks an important milestone in Singapore’s role as a trusted global convenor of urban leaders, and as a springboard for further knowledge sharing and collaboration between cities. This edition reinforces the central role of cities in tackling pressing challenges such as climate change, housing and sustainable infrastructure, while emphasising implementable outcomes and stronger city-to-city collaboration across the world. It reflects Singapore’s continued commitment to advancing liveable and sustainable cities worldwide
About WCS 2026
The theme for WCS 2026, “Liveable and Sustainable Cities: ACT Now!” is a rallying call for the urgent need to Accelerate, Collaborate, and Transform urban environments to create more liveable, resilient, and sustainable cities.
Participants can look forward to engaging discussions across six thematic tracks: Cities for People, Resilient & Regenerative Cities, Smart Cities, Financing for Cities, Future Cities, and the WRLDCTY Connections Stage – designed to address the most pressing issues and opportunities in urban development. Each track comprises high-level leadership plenaries, in-depth discussion sessions, practitioner-led masterclasses, and special convenings and roundtables. These are organised with local agencies and partners, including international ones such as the World Bank Group, C40 Cities, United Nations Development Programme, Bloomberg CityLabs and the Urban Land Institute (ULI) among others. The full programme is available at the World Cities Summit website here.
Notable Attendees
The Summit will host distinguished speakers and attendees. Non-exhaustively, some of them include:
- Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Singapore
- Chee Hong Tat, Minister for National Development, Singapore
- Indranee Rajah, Minister, Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for Finance and Second Minister for National Development, Singapore
- Ministers & Regional Governors from Kenya, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Cambodia have indicated interest in attending WCS 2026.
- Mayors and city leaders from:
- Abu Dhabi
- Battambang
- Berlin
- Boulder
- Bogotá
- Bucharest
- Cape Town
- Chiang Rai
- Christchurch
- Doha
- Essen
- Freetown
- Heidelberg
- Hobart
- Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)
- Jakarta
- Kota Kinabalu
- London (2026 Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize Laureate)
- Madrid
- Muscat
- Penang Island
- Phnom Penh
- Zhenjiang
- Urban experts:
- Amanda Sturgeon, CEO, Biomimicry Institute
- Arun Jain, FAICP, Urban Designer, Urban Strategist
- Brent D. Ryan, Vice Provost for Campus Space Management and Planning; Professor of Urban Design and Public Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Carlos Moreno, Associate Professor, Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne; Scientific Director, ETI Chair
- Cheng Hsing Yao, CEO, GuoccoLand Group Limited
- Cheong Koon Hean, LKYCIC, Professor of Practice, SUTD
- Clarence Anthony, CEO, National League of Cities
- Crisna du Plessis, Professor of Regenerative Futures, University of Pretoria
- Frederick Teo, CEO, GenZero
- Jordi Vaquer, Secretary General, Metropolis
- Jose Ordonez, Chief Revenue Officer; Managing Director APAC, CDP
- Kotchchakorn Voraarkhom, Chief Executive Officer, LANDPROCESS, Porous City Network
- Maria Vassilakou, Founder and CEO, Vassilakou Urban Consulting, GmbH, Vienna Solutions
- Ming Zhang, Global Director for Urban, Resilience and Land Global Department, World Bank Group
- Sally Capp AO, Vice-Chancellor’s Fellow, University of Melbourne, Former Lord Mayor of Melbourne
- Sowmya Parthasarathy, Focus Markets Leader (India, Middle East and Africa); Fellow, Arup
- Steven Lewis, Global Head of Insight and Global Head of Research, Real Estate Management Services, JLL
- Winston Chow, Lee Kong Chian Professor of Urban Climate, Singapore Management University & IPCC Co-Chair
- Zhu Xu Feng, Professor and Dean at School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University
The full list of notable attendees, as of 4 May, can be found here.
10th Edition of WCS Showcases the Importance of City-to-City Collaboration
Contributing to the global urban agenda, WCS 2026 has attracted the participation of more international partners such as C40 Cities, CDP, EU International Urban and Regional Cooperation (EU-IURC), Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Urban Land Institute (ULI), World Resources Institute and the World Major Association of the Metropolises, among others. For example, as a key partner to the WCS, the European Union (EU) funded International Urban and Regional Cooperation (IURC) programme – which fosters city-to-city and region-to-region partnerships – will enable over 40 EU and Asian/Australasian cities and regions to participate in this edition of WCS in Singapore as part of its Annual Networking Event. The IPCC session is a senior leaders roundtable engaging IPCC scientists, mayors, senior city officials, and urban climate experts to further discuss the IPCC’s Special Report on Climate Change and Cities (SRCities).
Together, the Summit will highlight how cities are where ideas are implemented to address important issues such as climate change, affordable housing, health and wellness, urban energy transition, water management, jobs and mobility, social inclusion, digital innovation, and sustainable financing in addition to other challenges that face cities.
New Programme Offerings at WCS 2026
Additionally, a new track the “WRLDCTY Connections Stage” will explore liveability, lovability, and longevity in cities. The new track will also highlight the social dimensions of the Infrastructure and Environment industry such as placemaking and heritage and culture. More information on the WRLDCTY Connections Stage is in the Annex. These new topics serve as catalysts for sustainable and innovative urban solutions that contribute to shaping a more liveable future. Their inclusion in WCS 2026 furthers knowledge sharing and collaboration opportunities across borders and sectors, moving all towards transforming cities for a more liveable future.
WCS 2026 also introduces the introduction of practitioner-led masterclasses and delegate site visits linked to sessions, enabling a more holistic understanding of topics coupled with real-world experiences. For instance, the Housing Development Board-led site visit to Harmony Village examines ageing in place and community connectedness to build inclusive, sustainable communities; Jurong Lake Gardens showcases National Parks Board’s key initiatives under “Parks for Health” – a key element in restoring nature for healthy cities; and a tour of heritage businesses situated in Kampong Gelam, by the National Heritage Board, exemplifies heritage driven urban planning to ensure loveable cities.
Through its expanded programme and new offerings, WCS 2026 continues to advance global urban development dialogue, foster meaningful partnerships, and drive innovative solutions that will shape liveable and sustainable cities of tomorrow. The 10th edition also features a larger WCS Exhibition which provides a platform for cities, corporates, SMEs, local start-ups, and others to profile themselves on a global stage. This supports a pro-enterprise approach which helps local start-ups, SMEs, and larger organisations alike to showcase their strengths and explore global possibilities.
About the World Cities Summit
The biennial World Cities Summit (WCS) is a platform for government leaders and industry experts to address liveable and sustainable city challenges, share integrated urban solutions, and forge new partnerships. Jointly organised by Singapore’s Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA), key highlights of the Summit include the Mayors Forum, WCS Young Leaders Symposium, the Science of Cities Symposium, the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize, and an exhibition. For more information, visit www.worldcitiessummit.com.sg
More details can be found on the WCS website and on WCS official social platforms:
PR Newswire is a Media Partner of World Cities Summit 2026.
About Centre for Liveable Cities
Set up in 2008 by the Ministry of National Development and the then-Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC) aims to distil, create, and share knowledge on liveable and sustainable cities.
The CLC’s work spans four main areas: Research, Capability Development, Knowledge Platforms, and Advisory. Through these activities, it hopes to provide urban leaders and practitioners with the knowledge and support needed to make our cities better.
For more information, please visit www.clc.gov.sg
About Urban Redevelopment Authority
The Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) is Singapore’s land use planning and conservation agency. Our mission is ‘to make Singapore a great city to live, work and play’. We strive to create an endearing home and a vibrant and sustainable city through long-term planning and innovation, in partnership with the community.
URA’s multi-faceted role includes being the main government land sales agent. We attract and channel private capital investments to develop sites that support planning, economic, and social objectives. We also partner the community to enliven our public spaces to create a car-lite, people-friendly, and liveable city for all to enjoy. In shaping a distinctive city, URA also promotes architecture and urban design excellence. Visit www.ura.gov.sg for more information.
About WRLDCTY
Since 2020, WRLDCTY has convened a global community working to shape more future-ready cities through forums, fellowships, labs, and residencies. Its annual global forum shares big ideas from the world’s best cities and connects the people advancing them.
Join the global community shaping the world’s next cities.
