The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) will hold its 56th World Congress in Rome, Italy, 5-9 June 2005. The theme that has been chosen for this World Congress is ‘Public transport 2020: making the connection’. The Congress will focus on public transport’s role as the connection between the social, environmental and economic pillars that can stimulate growth in the future: personal and social growth, environmental care and business growth.
It will also examine the societal mega trends which are increasingly affecting our sector and their impact on the development of public transport. Such mega trends include urban sprawl, demographic and lifestyle changes, the globalisation of the economy, and the mass availability of new technologies. The aim is to identify a series of targeted solutions, so that the sector is armed to deal effectively with these challenges in the future.
On the occasion of this Congress, UITP will launch the results of its strategic project, ‘From vision to action: public transport in 2020’. This visionary project identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the present model of organising public transport, with the ultimate aim of creating a set of scenarios for the future where public transport, a key vector of sustainable mobility, is able to play its full role in equitable and sustainable communities. UITP launched this project to help the sector speak with one voice to policy decision makers for the promotion of all modes of public transport around the world.
UITP’s World Congresses are a forum for mobility experts to exchange ideas, share knowledge and do business. UITP has been organising its biennial World Congress since 1886. In parallel with its Congress, UITP also holds a Mobility & City Transport Exhibition, the world’s largest urban and regional transport exhibition. The 56th edition of our Congress and Exhibition will mark the launch of a new concept: the UITP Mobility Village. The Mobility Village will fully integrate our Congress and Exhibition with the state-of-the-art exhibits supporting the Congress themes.
The local host for the 56th World Congress and Exhibition is ATAC, the public transport organising authority of Rome, Italy.
Notes for editors
The International Association of Public Transport (UITP) is the international organisation for public transport authorities and operators, policy decision-makers, scientific institutes and the public transport supply and service industry. It is a platform for worldwide co-operation and the sharing of know-how between its 2,500 members from some 80 countries. For more information, visit http://www.uitp.com/
Media backgrounders about UITP’s World Congresses and Exhibitions and about the Mobility Village are available online: http://www.uitp.com/mediaroom/index5.cfm
Further information about the Mobility & City Transport Exhibition to be held next year in Rome is available online: http://www.uitp.com/Events/2005/roma/exhibition/
For more information about ATAC, the local host of the 56th World Congress and Exhibition, visit http://www.metrebus.it/
Further information about UITP’s last Congress and Exhibition, including photos, is available online at: http://www.uitp.com/Events/madrid/mediaroom/index-rec.cfm
Contacts
Press: cara.mclaughlin@uitp.com or stephanie.loozen@uitp.com at UITP in Brussels;
Stefano.eleuteri@atac.roma.it at ATAC in Rome
Congress: valerie.mindlin@uitp.com
Exhibition: hicham.badran@uitp.com
