Objective and Focus

Globalization and Urban Development
The urban population will exceed 50% of the world population in 2007, which marks the beginning of an urban era. Meanwhile, China is experiencing rapid urbanization in recent years. The Yangtze Delta Region with Shanghai as its powerhouse has become one of the most important urban agglomerates in the world. The Shanghai World Expo 2010, with its theme Better City, Better Life, will be the first World Expo to take city as its theme. Urbanization in China will exert a significant impact on the development of human civilization in the 21st century. In view of that, officials, academics and professionals are invited to the forum to exchange and share their concerns and experiences on how urbanization in China can embark on a path of sustainable development.

The theme of the Forum will be Globalization and Urban Development, which will be further developed in four aspects concerning respectively economy and industry, society and culture, technology and education, space and environment. Mayors of leading cities worldwide as well as in the Yangtze Delta Region in China along with distinguished scholars from home and abroad will be invited to the Forum. The officials from the Ministry of Construction and from the Shanghai Municipal Government will also participate in the Forum.