World Urbanism Day

The observance was established in 1949 by Carlos María della Paolera, a professor at the University of Buenos Aires in Argentina. A civil engineer and a member of Argentina's national geography committee, Paolera had studied at the Institut d'Urbanisme in Paris. He created the day to advance public and professional interest in planning, and he designed a flag for it: a blue top half for the air, a green bottom half for the land, and a bright gold sun in the middle.

What began in Buenos Aires is now recognized in more than 30 countries on four continents. Planning associations around the world use the day to host educational events that help the public understand why planning matters. In the United States, the American Planning Association marks the occasion with an annual online conference and works with partners such as the Canadian Institute of Planners and the Royal Town Planning Institute in the United Kingdom.

You don't need to be a planner to take part. Walk your neighborhood and notice what works, from sidewalks and walking paths to parks and accessibility. Attend a city council or county commission meeting, read the work of influential urbanists like Jane Jacobs and Lewis Mumford, and share your ideas for a better community using #WorldUrbanismDay.