The World Towns Leadership Summit, organised by the International Downtown Association (IDA), convenes place management leaders from around the globe to share ideas and solutions to the most pressing issues facing City Centres today.
Having previously been held in South Africa, Sweden, Great Britian and Japan, this year IDA has selected the island of Ireland as the location for this year’s Summit, with DublinTown hosting delegates in Dublin from April 20 to 22, and LQ BID hosting in Belfast from April 22 to 24.
It is the first time the Summit has visited either location. Over 45 delegates representing international cities in the USA, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden, Ireland, and the United Kingdom will use the Summit as an opportunity to explore the polarisation of politics in towns and cities, and the impact it can have on surrounding communities. The hope is that learnings and insights will be able to be applied to the towns and cities these delegates manage, in hopes that they can continue to be safe, vibrant and forward-thinking destinations.
David Downey is President and CEO of the International Downtown Association. He explains, “The World Towns Leadership Summit is one of the highlights of our calendar year on year. This particular gathering in Dublin and Belfast will allow our international peers to explore identity politics in new ways, and see first-hand how common urban challenges are being addressed here. We already know that both cities align to global best practices across issues such as community cohesion, financial investment and public space maintenance, but in this increasingly complex world, it will be incredibly interesting for our delegates to experience common placemaking agendas in the context of a post-conflict island, and take these learnings back to their own towns and cities to enhance community relations there.”
Chris McCracken, Managing Director of LQ BID said, “As placemaking organisations, all of the Summit’s delegates are creating towns and cities that bring people greater enjoyment through improved health and wellbeing, and provide a greater sense of community and belonging. LQ BID’s vision, for instance, is to create a Belfast that makes sense for everyone – and a city that continues to attract investment and provide solutions that help people live full lives.
“Well-designed and well-managed towns and cities support strengthened communities. In cities affected by conflict, like Belfast, this means creating environments where positive interactions can happen and where people can learn from each other, even when differences remain.”
On Thursday 23 April, delegates will experience a Conflicting Stories Walking Tour facilitated by Belfast Political Tours, providing unparalleled, first-hand accounts into Belfast’s legacy of conflict and the ongoing journey toward peace.
Later in the day, Ulster University, Belfast Stories and the PSNI will contribute to a panel discussion remembering Belfast’s complex past while celebrating its unique heritage through rich and diverse experiences across culture, arts, music, film and literature. The event will address Belfast’s experiences in policing, bridge-building, and how post conflict societies can develop positive narratives to deliver concrete societal and economic outcomes.
Publican Willie Jack and Belfast City Centre Night Czar, Michael Stewart, will host the group on a tour of the Cathedral Quarter to provide insight into the nighttime economy – its value, its challenges and its potential.
The Linen Quarter’s Clayton Hotel will host the Summit’s final event – a session aimed at considering the week’s key takeaways before finalising the Summit’s outcomes for 2026. The co-host of the 2027 World Towns Leadership Summit – Auckland, New Zealand – will also provide insights on what to expect next year.
Chris concluded, “For the Belfast leg of the Summit, LQ BID has designed a programme that will engage, educate and inspire. Everyone involved in the planning is really looking forward to welcoming these international place-makers and changemakers to Belfast. It’s an opportunity for us to showcase the strength and resilience of this place, but also the dedicated ecosystem of partners we have who work to help the city realise its full potential. By bringing strategic vision, creative thinking and commercial acumen together, the city’s BIDs and our partners can continue to contribute initiatives that benefit the city centre across regeneration, animation, safety, connectivity, sustainability and wellbeing.”
The historic Linen Quarter, stretching from City Hall to Shaftesbury Square, is home to more than 300 organisations such as Deloitte, Invest NI and various Governmental departments, with Kainos’ 14-storey office block currently under construction on the Dublin Road. Since its inception in 2018, the BID has delivered £5 million worth of improvements across more than 50 projects, including our recent transformation of Blackstaff Square from an area known for antisocial behaviour into a vibrant outdoor social space.
For more information on the World Towns Leadership Summit visit downtown.org/event/2026-world-towns-leadership-summit/