For cities to develop and serve their communities, it is essential to ensure comprehensive and continuous approaches that combine accessibility, environmental consciousness, and sustainability. We think about conscious development rooted in past knowledge, traditions, and rules while considering processes that can disrupt continuity: wars, colonization, technological changes, global politics, rapid urbanization etc.

Despite these challenges, there are cities that have not only preserved their history and architectural grammar but also enhanced their uniqueness, thoughtfully combining classical principles with modern solutions. Such approaches shape the development of Milan, Zurich, Copenhagen, and Barcelona — cities that have managed to maintain their authenticity while integrating new ideas. This is not about encapsulating the past but about the ability to evolve while preserving identity.

While the Ukrainian urban planning tradition continues to develop, it is once again disrupted by war, as well as global political and economic changes. At this year's Forum, we suggest exploring the dynamics of continuity and disruptions, which are persistent challenges that leave us with many unresolved questions.

How can we define and continue our tradition? What is worth preserving, and what should be reconsidered and left in the past? How can we balance recovery with long-term development? How can we avoid losing meaning in the pursuit of quick solutions? How can we act together with a perspective on the past, present, and future?

For the third time, we will gather at the Lviv Urban Forum, and this time, we will discuss how to build resilient institutions, uphold the continuity of architectural and urban planning processes, pass knowledge from one generation to the next, and preserve purpose in a dynamic world. From local initiatives to global practices, we seek ways to enable our cities to develop without gaps.

‍We invite: