The Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing solutions to important issues that have an impact on the quality of life in urban areas and communicating those solutions to a wide audience through a variety of media.

The CUI brings together experts from different disciplines to connect people, money and ideas to build strong communities and equitable and competitive urban areas in Canada and internationally. The CUI was established in 1990 by the City of Toronto and the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto with a mandate to:

• Connect urban decision-makers at all levels of government, the corporate and community sectors to enhance policy making and management of urban areas.
•  Convene groups of decision-makers throughout Canada and abroad to facilitate the exchange of information between urban areas within Canada and internationally.
• Communicate the results of applied research and provide training in order to foster co-operative approaches to urban issues.
  

Go to   Cities Alliance

Go to:  Congress for the New Urbanism  -  (CNU) is a Chicago-based non-profit organization that was founded in 1993. We work with architects, developers, planners, and others involved in the creation of cities and towns, teaching them how to implement the principles of the New Urbanism. These principles include coherent regional planning, walkable neighborhoods, and attractive, accommodating civic spaces. CNU has over 2,000 members throughout the United States and around the world. We sponsor annual conferences, known as Congresses, for the sharing and discussion of best practices in New Urbanism.

EUROCITIES gives cities a voice in Europe, by engaging in dialogue with the European institutions on all aspects of EU legislation, policies and programmes that have an impact on cities and their citizens. The network is active across a wide range of policy areas including: economic development and cohesion policy, provision of public services, environment, transport and mobility, employment and social affairs, culture, education, information and knowledge society, governance and international cooperation.

Go to:  International Association of Cities and Ports  -  The IACP was created in 1988 on the initiative of cities, ports and their institutional and economic partners to create a permanent structure for the exchange of information and contacts in order to follow projects through in the best possible conditions.  The IACP is an international network of economic and political bodies representing port cities. The IACP is the only organisation, which furthers exchanges of information and contacts between the world of the city and that of the port. The IACP is a network for benchmarking and promoting the city-port, acknowledged by public authorities and international institutions.  The IACP has an international Board of Directors with 33 elected members, a network of experts and researchers, and a General Management which is responsible for implementing the programme of activities decided upon at the General Assembly and for managing the functioning of the network. The headquarters of the IACP are in Le  Havre (France).

Go to:  Megacities  -  The Megacities Initiative originates from the awareness of the future role of cities as the dominant type of settlement for humanity. Cities will play this role not only as a matter of fact but also as a matter of necessity, as the only other way of housing the increasing world population. In an intensive rural occupation pattern this would certainly lead to an ecological disaster.  The main activity of the Megacities Foundation is to organize a yearly lecture on topics related to the megacities.  Megacities is based in the Netherlands.

Go to:  Metropolis  -  Metropolis is the World Association of Major Metropolises. Its mission is to promote international cooperation and exchanges among members, i.e., local and metropolitan governments. Metropolis is the spokesperson on cities' interests in international forums.  Metropolises are shaping the 21st century. While individually different, they share modern-day concerns on issues such as urban planning and development, the economy, health, environmental matters, transport, infrastructure and communications.  Created in 1985, the Metropolis Association is represented by more than 90 member cities from across the world and operates as an international forum for exploring issues and concerns common to all big cities.

Go to   The National Urban League  -  [USA]  Established in 1910, The Urban League is the nation's oldest and largest community- based movement devoted to empowering African Americans to enter the economic and social mainstream. Today, the National Urban League, headquartered in New York City, spearheads the non-partisan efforts of its local affiliates. There are over 100 local affiliates of the National Urban League located in 35 states and the District of Columbia providing direct services to more than 2 million people nationwide through programs, advocacy and research.  The mission of the Urban League movement is to enable African Americans to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power and civil rights.  The Urban League employs a five point strategy, tailored to local needs, in order to implement the mission of our movement:  Education and Youth Empowerment;  Economic Empowerment; Health and Quality of Life Empowerment;  Civic Engagement and Leadership Empowerment;  and Civil Rights and Racial Justice Empowerment.

Go to:  The Planners Network – [USA & Canada]  The Planners Network is an association of professionals, activists, academics, and students involved in physical, social, economic, and environmental planning in urban and rural areas, who promote fundamental change in our political and economic systems.  Planners Network website was voted one of the 50 best planning and development websites by PLANetizen in 2003.

Go to    Shack/Slum Dwellers International