With more than half of the world’s population now living in cities, urban parks and green spaces have a more important role than ever.  Parks connect people to nature, provide spaces for relaxation and recreation, and strengthen both the body and the spirit.  The 2008 International Urban Parks Conference, scheduled for September 21-23 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, will explore this valuable connection. Body and Soul: Parks and the Health of Great Cities will bring together leading-edge research experts, public officials, and management innovators to help shape the future of our cities.
 
Over 90 speakers will provide practical information on issues from managing parks sustainably to forming partnerships that promote active living through park usage.  Keynote addresses from Teresa Heinz, Luis Garden Acosta, and Richard Louv focus on making connections between people, parks, and the environment as a whole. 

Many conference sessions directly address the need to establish parks as centers for healthy, active living.  Topics include “One Step at a Time: Promoting Physical Activity in the Park,” “No One Left Inside: Lifting Barriers to Park Access for All,” and “Re-Discovering Our Neighbors and Our Community in City Parks.”

In addition to the wide variety of conference sessions, attendees can participate in a number of pre-conference tours, including visits to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater and bike and kayak tours of Pittsburgh.  Tours of Pittsburgh’s downtown and riverfront will highlight the city’s near-miraculous transformation from “Smoky City” to America’s Most Livable City.  Mobile workshops in Pittsburgh’s parks will present in-depth case studies that showcase a wide range of innovative restoration and development initiatives.  And the Body and Soul Exhibit Hall will feature the parks-related products and services of nearly 50 organizations.

Body and Soul is a presentation of City Parks Alliance and the National Association for Olmsted Parks and is a production of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy.  The complete schedule, speaker information, and registration are available at www.urbanparks08.org.