Wellington, NZ: New Zealand Planning Institute Conference

Throughout North America and countries across the globe, cities and towns are struggling—roads are crumbling, budgets are strained, and the standard playbook of chasing growth no longer delivers the results we need. Join Strong Towns founder Charles Marohn at the New Zealand Planning Institute Conference as he unpacks why our communities are stuck in a cycle of decline and what it will take to break free.

Drawing on decades of civil engineering and planning experience, Marohn challenges conventional development patterns and explains why financially productive neighborhoods often aren’t the ones that look the most “new.” Participants will learn how small, incremental investments—“little bets”—can build resilience from the ground up, how public engagement can spark real insights, and how a strong community fabric can make us better people.

This session offers a hopeful, practical path forward for planners, leaders, and citizens ready to reimagine prosperity—not by doing more, but by doing it differently.

The keynote begins at 8:30 AM NZST on March 26, 2026 and will be followed by a short Q&A.