When we think of cities, it’s tempting to picture the skyline first. Concrete towers, cranes in motion, new highways unfolding across the landscape. But the truth is, cities are not just made of buildings.
Cities are made of people.
They’re made of movement and music, of markets and morning routines. Of teachers, tailors, artists, and entrepreneurs. They’re built not only by architects and engineers, but also by chefs, storytellers, youth organizers, and mothers walking their kids to school. It’s easy to measure cities by GDP and infrastructure, but what about joy? What about culture, connection, and community?
At the New Cities Summit, we believe building a city means building the whole city. Not just its roads, but its rhythm.
Culture is Infrastructure, Too
Around the world, a new generation of cities are emerging. Master-planned, rapidly urbanizing, and full of possibility. But in our pursuit of progress, we must ensure we don’t leave culture behind.
Culture isn’t an afterthought. It’s the heartbeat of every thriving urban space. According to UNESCO, the cultural and creative industries contribute over 3% to global GDP and employ more young people than the finance sector, yet they’re often excluded from city planning conversations.
From Nairobi to Lagos, Dakar to Dar es Salaam, African cities pulse with art, language, dance, fashion, and history. A truly livable, equitable city must be a place where creativity can flourish, where local identities are honored, and where everyone feels like they belong.
It Takes a Village (Literally)
Cities are ecosystems. They depend on teachers nurturing the next generation, bus drivers connecting communities, chefs feeding neighborhoods, and organizers fighting for fairer policies.
When we talk about “city builders,” we mean all of them.
At this year’s New Cities Summit, we’re bringing together the full spectrum of builders — investors and planners, yes, but also educators, social entrepreneurs, sustainability advocates, and local artisans. Together, we’ll explore how to shape cities that don’t just address our world’s biggest problems, such as poverty & sustainability, but can make new cities truly feel like home.
The Future of Cities is African… and Human
Africa is the fastest urbanizing continent on earth. By 2050, Africa’s urban population is expected to double, adding over 950 million people to its cities. That’s the equivalent of building an entire new city of 1 million people every month for the next 25 years. The choices we make now will shape the daily lives of hundreds of millions in the coming decades.
This is a moment of massive responsibility and extraordinary possibility.
Let’s build cities that reflect the complexity, creativity, and humanity of the people who live in them. Let’s design not just for efficiency but for life. And let’s remember that it takes more than concrete to build something that lasts.
So join us in Nairobi this June for the second edition of the New Cities Summit. Together, we’ll transform ideas into action across Africa and beyond… and build the cities our future deserves.
🔗www.ncs2025.city
📅 12-13 June 2025
📍Emara Ole Sereni Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
