As we become increasingly a world of city/town dwellers, we need to ensure that our cities are developed in the most sustainable and sensible way. This calls for everyone to have the opportunity to have a say in how our cities look and how they perform. What do we want our cities to look like, and how can they become more sensitive to environmental considerations? Do we as citizens have a proper stake in them or are we just passive in our outlook? How can we communicate better with those who govern our towns and cities instead of feeling powerless?

These are questions that come to my mind when I think of cities - they are so important as economic drivers and will continue to develop, but we have to make certain that they develop in the right way. The Future Cities Forum is encouraging dialogue and discussion on its website and would welcome your thoughts. We will shortly establish Discussion Groups on a wide variety of topics and issues and you will be welcome to join them.