The Walk21 Conference starts tomorrow, and in addition to some amazing workshops, there’s also a chance to meet and hear from leaders in the global push to make cities more livable.

Mexico City’s dedicated-lane rapid transit bus system, Metrobus, carries as many as 250,000 riders a day. Photo: vonKinder/Flickr.

Opening the conference tomorrow is Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of Mexico City, which has the second-busiest publicly-owned transit system on the continent (Wed. Oct. 7, 8:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m., Eisner & Lubin Auditorium). He’ll be talking about his city’s fight against traffic congestion, including efforts to promote walking, an expanding cycling network, and the introduction of dedicated-lane bus rapid transit. 

On Thursday, representatives from governments on the forefront of creating sustainable cities will discuss their strategies to help stop climate change (Thurs. Oct. 8, 9:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Eisner & Lubin Auditorium). Kristina Alvendal, Stockholm’s vice mayor of city planning, will explain her "Walkable City" plan, which focuses on a denser, safer urban environment. Steve Heminger, director of the San Francisco Bay Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, will talk about the importance of walking to California’s climate change mandate, which involves regional targets for greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, Jon Orcutt, Director of Policy at the NYC DOT, will discuss the greenhouse gas implications of the city’s pedestrian planning efforts.

Don’t forget, there’s also a cocktail reception tonight, as well as on Wednesday and Thursday evenings, where you’ll be able to schmooze with many conference luminaries. Tonight’s reception will feature a keynote speech by NYC DOT Commissioner Janette Sadik-Khan.

The Walk21 Conference takes place at NYU’s Kimmel Center from October 7-9. More information about each event can be found in the program (click to download). You can register for the conference here.