Tartu, Estonia, Picked for 2022 AESOP Congress

A group of Estonian universities has won the rights to host the annual congress of the Association of European Schools of Planning in 2022. The event, which is expected to attract around 800 delegates, will be held at the Estonian University of Life Sciences in mid-July.

The University of Tartu, Tallinn University, Tallinn University of Technology, the Estonian Academy of Arts, the Estonian Association of Spatial Planners and Publicon PCO joined forces with the Estonian University of Life Sciences for the successful bid, which was submitted with support from the Estonian Convention Bureau, Tartu Convention Bureau and the Ministry of Finance.

Working under the title ‘Space for Species: Redefining Spatial Justice’, the 5-day congress will focus on environmentally sustainable planning that takes the needs of all species into account. The programme additionally includes a 3-day PhD workshop to be held at the University of Tartu’s Narva College in the east of the country. 

Tartu, with a population of 100,000, is Estonia’s primary university town and has become a popular destination for academic and research conferences. 

“We are proud that the AESOP Congress will take place in the Baltic region for the first time. It will be an excellent opportunity to showcase the planning solutions and digital developments in Estonia as well as the City of Tartu, which will be holding the title of the European Capital of Culture in 2024,” said Kadri Karu, the Managing Director of the Estonian Convention Bureau.   

Holding Events and Visiting Estonia in the Time of COVID

At the moment indoor events of up to 1,500 participants are allowed in Estonia. If seats are numbered and can be traced to individual people, then it is allowed to use venues at full capacity. If seats are not numbered, then the maximum is 50 % of the usual venue/hall capacity. For outdoor events, the maximum is 2,000 pax. Check out our recent blog post on Holding Events and Visiting Estonia in the Time of COVID for the most frequently asked questions on organising events and visiting Estonia now: http://www.ecb.ee/en/blog/holding-events-and-visiting-estonia-in-the-time-of-covid/