Welcome!
Thank you for your interest in the Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy.
The Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building, in cooperation with the Conference of German Building Ministers, the Association of German Cities (Deutscher Städtetag) and the German Association of Towns and Municipalities (DStGB), cordially invites you to the 18h Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy at StadtHalle of the Hanseatic City of Rostock.
Click the button below to access the registration page for the 18th National Urban Development Policy Congress.
Please complete your registration to confirm your participation.
Well done! Shaping high-quality neighbourhoods
All across Germany, in cities both large and small, today’s good ideas are giving rise to “neighbourhoods with a future” – locations where high-quality social infrastructure and inviting public spaces, an effective mix of uses and varied ownership structures, amenities close by and sustainable mobility, and climate change mitigation and adaptation measures are now practically the standard. However, ensuring neighbourhood development is sustainable and in the public interest remains an ongoing challenge.
The Congress is an opportunity to discuss current cooperation approaches to and strategies for urban development policy, and to progress ideas for sustainable, integrated development of urban and rural spaces at national, European and international scale.
There is no charge for attending the Congress. It is recognised as professional development by the M-V Chamber of Architects.
The City of Rostock is providing a limited allocation of room accommodation for the Congress period. Further deadline and reservation information is available here.
You can also book your accommodation separately from this allocation via the Rostock Convention Bureau’s general hotel listing (tel. +49 381 381 – 2948) or via other booking portals.
Sustainability is a key priority for us in organising the Congress. To support climate-friendly travel, we have collaborated with Deutsche Bahn to provide the DB Event Ticket, including City Ticket, at a fixed price across Germany.
To view the programme for the previous Federal Congress in Heidelberg, please visit our Media Library.
Further information about urban development policy is available on the websites of the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building (German only) and the National Urban Development Policy
You can also subscribe to our newsletter there to receive notifications about current projects, events and publications relating to the National Urban Development Policy.
Programme
(last updated: 24/07/2025 / subject to change)
15 September 2025
7:00 p.m. onwards
Networking event jointly hosted by BMWSB and the City of Rostock at Kunsthalle Rostock.
Address: Kunsthalle Rostock, Hamburger Str. 40, 18069 Rostock
Given the venue capacity, participant numbers are limited to 450. Registration is required.
Welcome address
- Dr Ute Fischer-Gäde, Senator for Urban Planning, Building, Climate Protection and Mobility of the Hanseatic City of Rostock
Welcome to Kunsthalle Rostock
- Dr Uwe Neumann, Director of Kunsthalle Rostock
- Lars-Christian Uhlig, Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development, in charge of the National Urban Development Projects programme
16 September 2025
9:30 a.m. onwards
Admission and registration at the StadtHalle
10:30 a.m.
Opening of the Congress programme and welcome remarks
Overall moderation: Anja Heyde, moderator and journalist
10:35 a.m.
Welcome from the Hanseatic City of Rostock
Eva-Maria Kröger, Mayor of the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock
10:45 a.m.
Introduction: Shaping high-quality neighbourhoods
Verena Hubertz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building
11:00 a.m.
Keynote
Jette Cathrin Hopp, architect, Director at Snøhetta, Oslo (Norway)
11:25 a.m.
Discussion on the keynote
Moderator Anja Heyde in conversation with:
- Verena Hubertz, Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building
- Jette Cathrin Hopp, architect, Director at Snøhetta, Oslo (Norway)
11:40 a.m.
Panel: Shaping high-quality neighbourhoods
Moderation: Anja Heyde
- Mechthild Heil, Member of the German Bundestag, CDU/CSU (online)
- Katalin Gennburg, Member of the German Bundestag, The Left
- Daniel Schreiner, City Planning Officer, Fulda
- Line Bernstein, Stadtverwicklung gGmbH, Weimar
- Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Mario Tvrtković, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Coburg
12:30 p.m.
Lunch and discussions
Marketplace, exhibition, programme on the foyer stage with short presentations
Stage programme
- Urban Lab Nürnberg
NPOW project: A city plays utopia! - Stadtentwickler Bundesverband
“Between concrete and participation: urban development promotion works in many ways.” - Gesundheit Berlin-Brandenburg e. V. State programme “Health in Berlin – Neighbourhoods at a Glance”
Presentation of the “Health in Berlin” funding programme, health promotion in the neighbourhood - Deutscher Verband
News from URBACT/EUI
2:00 p.m.
Presentation on international urban development
Valérie Plante, Mairesse de la Ville de Montréal, Canada
2:15 p.m.
Transition to the specialist forums
Information and explanations from moderator Anja Heyde, with
participants moving to the various rooms
2:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Specialist forums
4:30 – 6:15 p.m.
Specialist forums
7:00 p.m. onwards
Evening reception at the StadtHalle
Welcome from the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Manuela Schwesig, Minister-President of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
Opening evening reception
- Dr. Olaf Joachim, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building
- Eva-Maria Kröger, Mayor of the Hanseatic and University City of Rostock
17 September 2025
8:30 a.m. onwards
Admission and registration at the StadtHalle
9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Breakout areas at the StadtHalle and external locations, including excursions
Please note that only some of the breakout areas will be held at the StadtHalle. Others will commence directly at the designated meeting places – please refer to the information for the respective breakout area.
12:30 p.m.
Lunch and discussions
Programme, exhibition and project showcases in the marketplace
Stage programme
- Stadtverwicklungen Weimar
Common Good Matrix - Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building
Architectural guidelines - Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building
Guidelines for gender-responsive urban development
1:30 p.m.
Plenary congress programme
Overall moderation: Anja Heyde, moderator and journalist
1:35 p.m.
Five years of the New Leipzig Charter
Input: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Angela Million, Professor of Urban Design and Urban Development, Institute of Urban and Regional Planning at TU Berlin
Panel: partners in the National Urban Development Policy
Moderation: Anja Heyde
- Dr Olaf Joachim, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building
- Christian Pegel, Minister of the Interior, Building and Digitalisation of the State of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania
- Bernd Düsterdiek, German Association of Towns and Municipalities
- Prof. Hilmar von Lojewski, Association of German Cities
- Dr Ute Fischer-Gäde, Senator for Urban Planning, Building, Climate Protection and Mobility of the Hanseatic City of Rostock
- Prof. Dr.-Ing. Angela Million, TU Berlin
2:50 p.m.
Conclusions and outlook
Moderator Anja Heyde in conversation with:
- Dr Olaf Joachim, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development and Building
- Dr Ute Fischer-Gäde, Senator for Urban Planning, Building, Climate Protection and Mobility of the Hanseatic City of Rostock
Approx 3:00 p.m.
Conclusion of the Congress
Venue
StadtHalle Rostock
Südring 90, 18059 Rostock
The StadtHalle Rostock is the sports and congress centre of the Hanseatic City of Rostock. Its flexible space concept makes it ideal for the Federal Congress.
Following renovation, expansion and modernisation works in 2017 and 2018 and with a new light-filled foyer covering some 2,000 m2, the StadtHalle is now an even more versatile and comfortable multi-functional venue for conferences and other events.
Bus & rail
The StadtHalle has its own tram station – StadtHalle (approx. 90m walk) – and can also be reached directly from the main train station (Hauptbahnhof, approx. 350m walk). A Deutsche Bahn Event Ticket is available for climate-friendly travel to Rostock.
Car
From Berlin via the A19 motorway, exit at the Rostock junction onto the A20 motorway and then exit at Rostock-Südstadt. From Hamburg via the A20 motorway, exit at Rostock-Südstadt.

Speaker
This year, we are once again expecting a selection of renowned experts and representatives from politics, urban development and civil society.
With interesting presentations or contributions to the panels, together with you they will make a siginificant contribution to the quality of the 18th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy.















