ACTION PLAN
Published on 9 June 2016
73 national members 5 regions 35,000 landscape architects
WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT Prof Kathryn Moore Birmingham City University
IFLA currently has: 73 national members 4 corporate members 8 honorary members 2 sponsors
We are here because we all believe, passionately, in landscape architecture. Given the global challenges we face, there is great potential for landscape architecture to become increasingly significant. Clearly landscape is the hot topic around the world. But there remains a real cultural deficit in the way landscape is valued. Geographical sensibility or expertise is increasingly disregarded in the face of technological brute force. The focus is on processes rather than knowledge and checklists rather than experience. This, together with the capacity to digitally enhance and manipulate structure and space, enables us to play fast and loose with the landscape. It is now considered plausible, even desirable, to ignore the dynamics of larger scale hydrological, geomorphological, climatic or cultural systems.
We no longer recognise the pivotal role that landscape plays in shaping identity, culture, self-confidence and worth in everyday life, it has become detached from the fabric of our lives, from our experience, the stories and myths, memories and celebrations that make up a sense of place. The landscape is taken for granted, taken as read, left to look after itself. Its potency, complexity and value are therefore all too often side-lined within the development process. We think of it as something out there, beyond the city, green, blue or grey a place to pass through, to visit and admire. But ultimately, it’s up for grabs, there to be used or abused, manhandled or bulldozed.
Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, my mentor, was a founding member of the Landscape Institute in the UK, and helped found the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) in 1948. With a vision for a better future after the war, this followed the establishment of the United Nations in 1945, UNESCO in 1946, the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the founding of the International Union of Architects (1948). A truly global federation, IFLA currently represents 73 national associations from Africa, the Americas, Europe and Asia Pacific and a newly emerging region in the Middle East. It officially represents approximately 24,000 landscape architects across the world – the actual figure is probably nearer 45,000 - in both governmental and non-governmental organisations, such as the United Nations, UNESCO, International Union of Architects (UIA), the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) and the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).
WHAT IS IFLA? IFLA is a highly respected not for profit institution, acknowledged by other international organisations including various United Nations Agencies as well as regional and local institutions. Although not often acknowledged or even articulated, this respect in turn, bestows considerable value on the profession and each of us in turn, whether president, vice president, chair or other elected officer, delegate, member of a working group or committee, affiliate, friend or sponsor of IFLA. It gives status to the profession, opens doors, commands respect and with that of course, comes responsibility. Our delegates, nominated by the national associations, are our most vital resource. They are responsible as members of the World Council, to work on your behalf to raise the public profile of IFLA so that it can advocate strongly for the profession, whilst improving services for members, and ensuring the sustainability of the organisation.
THE FUTURE We have a big agenda. A shift in mind-set is long overdue – a change of focus, away from the outline of the buildings to the structure of the spaces, adding value to our relationship with the countryside, the wilderness as well as the squares and parks needed to make great towns and cities. As teachers and practitioners of landscape architecture, we need to capture the moment and gather the momentum. It is time for a new philosophy of landscape that considers identity at its core. As the only global body for landscape architecture, IFLA is one of the most important vehicles we have to transform the profession. Raising the profile of the profession, assisting nations where the profession is emerging or conflicted, raising aspirations and the capacity of our members, IFLA works at a global level to support the development of landscape architecture, the landscape and landscape architects around the world at every stage of their career. Providing a robust international platform for the exchange of knowledge, expertise and networking, IFLA connects landscape architects, builds networks between supporters and partners, collaborates on joint initiatives, helps to find funding and delivers projects to further the discipline.
WHAT DOES IFLA DO? IFLA promotes the landscape architecture profession within a collaborative partnership of the allied built-environment professions, demanding the highest standards of education, training, research and professional practice, and providing leadership and stewardship in all matters. To achieve that, IFLA has the following eleven aims.
1 2 3 4 5 6
To increase respect for the profession through the high esteem in which the Federation is held by international and regional organisations including various United Nations Agencies.
To provide access to decision-making authorities and processes at international level that have global implications for landscape architecture.
To represent and promote the profession to international authorities, governments, NGO’s and the general public.
To provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and expertise.
To offer powerful institutional support to fight legislative threats to the integrity of the profession.
To provide a global platform for educational and professional opportunities.
7 8 9 10 11
To serve as a repository of information concerning landscape architecture, its heritage and capacities.
To grant access to projects which provide value to landscape architects at every stage of their career such as the Global Professional Standards Survey, Student Design Competition, Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award. To raise the profile of the profession worldwide by supporting the development of new national associations and regions. To provide access to international thought leaders demonstrating the capacity of landscape to meet global challenges such as water and food security, climate change, conflict, migration and depletion of natural resources. To provide a global platform for engaging landscape architects (and those from related industries) in improving the conditions, aims and context of the profession long-term.
HOW DO WE DO THIS? The IFLA Executive Committee develops and implements an action plan which realises three key strategic pillars of i) raising the profile of the profession ; ii) building advocacy and; iii) providing member services that serve anyone connected to landscape architecture. Our work is primarily delivered through projects, a matrix of working groups and collaboration with national, regional and international partners. All of our initiatives are currently run on a voluntary basis.
THESE AIMS PROVIDE THE CONTEXT FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTION PLAN
One of the most effective ways to raise the profile of the profession is through conference presentations and publications, particularly when government ministers, senior civil servants and other professionals are present. In 2016 these included the Asia Pacific Regional meeting in Lombok, the Africa Regional meeting in Kenya and at the Ico-D conference in Gwangju, in addition to presentations in Paphos, Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Birmingham and Lebanon. The work undertaken on the steering committee for the World Design Summit has built up good relationships with our partners Ico-D and the International Federation of Housing and Planning, having great success with the interdisciplinary and international launch of the World Design Summit (WDS) in Gwangju, Korea and the launch for the call for abstracts at the IFLA 53rd World Congress in Turin. Having gained considerable support from a number of international organisations, IFLA is also pursuing the proposal for an international landscape convention that will give a voice to the everyday landscape, recognise the significance landscape has in shaping culture and identity and articulate the contribution it can make to meet the global challenges of food and water security, increasing urbanisation, the loss of natural resources, climate change, conflict and migration.
PILLAR 1
RAISING THE PROFILE OF THE PROFESSION Action 1
Action 2
DATE: Ongoing
DATE: May 2017
Demonstrate to key partners, institutions and professionals around the world, a new way of looking at landscape and its role in meeting current and future global challenges, changing the perception of the profession and its capacity, influencing governments and UN Agencies at the highest level.
Encourage delegates, friend and supporters to make evident through a range of publications and communications the ways in which landscape can contribute to the quality of life and help overcome.
Action 3
Action 4
DATE: September 2016
DATE: October 2016
Continue to drive the development of the World Design Summit Declaration for October 2017.
Promote the proposal for the International Landscape Convention (ILC).
Action 5
Action 6
DATE: Ongoing
DATE: Ongoing
Ensure formal engagements involving officers of the Executive Committee include invitations to government officials, significant decision-makers and other key professionals.
Establish the Advisory Circle (approved in Turin, 2016) to ensure we can respond quickly and effectively to major initiatives such as including as COP22, the World Urban Forum, Habitat III as well as to support the agenda’s of our friends and partners.
As landscape architects we may share common values and ambitions for our discipline, but we recognize that the practice of landscape architecture is very different in Ethiopia than it is in the USA, or in Jordan or Bolivia than it is in New Zealand. In terms of capacity building, it’s time to move away from trying to establish universal standards - this can all too easily become a quest to identify the lowest common denominator, reducing the profession to little more than a technical discipline. We are looking to celebrate, support and cultivate a diversity of practice. Recognising that landscape shapes culture, identity, value and quality of life. This ethos underpins the practice of landscape architects who are helping to shape international legislation in Africa, Latin America, Asia Pacific and the Middle East, practitioners who are making policy, giving legal expert opinions, as well as those undertaking economic development and city building. To build capacity, to truly grow the discipline and the profession, a more expressive and interdisciplinary definition of design and landscape needs to inform a suite of professional and educational documents, setting out what is needed to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing practice – scope for specialism and diversity, a vision of what landscape architecture might yet become, rather than a snapshot of what it is now. This philosophy underpins our work. To support the profession where it is emerging in Africa, the Middle East and Latin America, we are establishing a capacity building programme for landscape architectural education by helping to develop new programmes and help teachers to deliver them. Building on the success of the expert seminar and special forum held at the 53rd IFLA World Congress in Turin, a conference is being planned to pursue the adoption of an African Landscape Convention with the African Union. Supporting the emergence of the new Middle East Region, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Iranian Ministry of Roads and Urban Development aims to build educational and professional outreach and having supported the conference “Unfolding Middle Eastern Landscapes Changing Forms, Evolving Tools, Transforming Meanings in the Lebanon we are helping Jordanian landscape architects to establish their own national association.
PILLAR 2
DEVELOPING MEMBER SERVICES Action 1
Action 2
DATE: November 2016
DATE: July 2016
Global accreditation: test run the pilot project in Ethiopia to develop a programme in education that establishes a unique and excellent framework for landscape architectural education in Ethiopia, gains international recognition and informs the development of global accreditation scheme .
Establish the mobile capacity building project with Africa, Latin America and the Middle East to teach the teachers to teach landscape architect and build connections across the continents.
Action 3
Action 4
DATE: Ongoing
DATE: October 2016
Use our website and social media platforms to ensure landscape architects (or indeed anyone!) can access the latest news and events concerning the profession.
Establish Council of Students and Emergent professionals to encourage young people to become part of IFLA and contribute to the development of our programmes.
Action 5
Action 6
DATE: March 2017
DATE: December 2016
Examine the feasibility of a President’s award for innovative programmes of Education or Practice and an expanded awards programme so that we can share excellence, raise aspirations and improve standards.
Launch the PREP Survey to provide a comprehensive overview of professional requirements and educational possibilities worldwide.
Action 7
Action 8
DATE: Ongoing
DATE: TBC
Deliver actions identified under the MoU with the Iranian Ministry of Roads and Urban Development.
Promotion of the Mediterranean Action Group (Possible Conference in 2017).
PILLAR 3
ADVOCACY Action 1
Action 2
DATE: October 2017
DATE: Ongoing
Establish more effective collaboration and support by updating existing memoranda of understanding (MOU’S), establish new MOU’s, with for example, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), World Urban Parks Forum WUP) and other appropriate agencies/NGOs and build new partnerships with international organisations and institutions.
In order to ensure that FLA and the ambitions of the Federation remain on the international agenda and reflect international policies and aspirations, we will continue to build up our engagement with international agencies, governments and NGO’s.
Action 3
Action 4
DATE: January 2018
DATE: May 2017
Continue to promote what has become a vastly expanded field of practice to global institution such as the International Labour Organisation, UNESCO and other international organisations.
Continue to build relationships, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), Council of Europe (CoE), International Union of Architects (UIA), International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP), UNESCO with the Convention for Biodiversity and Council of Europe.
Action 5
Action 6
DATE: October 2016
DATE: Ongoing
Promote our agenda, aims and objectives at a global level, responding to calls for support, inspiration, collaboration and authority wherever possible, attend international events such as UN Habitat III and COP22, holding side events where invited.
Publish a leaders newsletter on a monthly basis.
Plans for the 54th World Council and World Congress as part of the World Design Summit in Montreal 2017 are moving forward rapidly. We are anticipating contributing to side events in the UN Habitat III conference in Quito, Colombia as well as a number of high profile regional and national events in AFRICA, the USA, Europe, China and Latin America in the coming months. The annual reports from EXCO officers demonstrate the level of commitment and energy devoted to increasing advocacy of the profession, through the chairs of Education and Academic affairs (EAA), Communication and External Affairs (CER) and Policy and Professional Practice (PPP), each supported by working groups that draw on members, friends, associates and delegates. It is also evident in the work of the Regional Presidents, who by increasingly exploring cross regional and global initiatives are promoting the global culture, brand and identity of IFLA addition to the leadership and coordination they give to serve specific regional needs and requirements.
SUSTAINABILITY OF THE FEDERATION Action 1
Action 2
DATE: October 2016
DATE: May 2017
Investigate and report back on the feasibility of a central office and ensure the executive committee can meet face-to-face in between world councils.
Friends of IFLA: Attract 500 friends.
Action 3
Action 4
DATE: January 2017
DATE: October 2017
Attract increased sponsorship, for example for the SGJA, other awards and two other projects.
Attract 10 new corporate supporters.
Action 5
Action 6
DATE: October 2017
DATE: August 2016
Revise the conference format and guidelines with a view to working collaboratively with our partners to present joint conferences/have a different financial model including city sponsorship.
Monitor to ensure sustainability of the Federation and provide bi-monthly financial reports to the delegates.
Action 7 DATE: February 2017 Launch the big pulse global survey (or equivalent) to connect with landscape architects across the world who currently do not belong to national associations.
This action plan is only possible with the backing of a sustainable federation and as such, IFLA is acting to diversify its funding streams. Raising sponsorship in such uncertain times has proved to be far more difficult than ever envisaged by the 2012-4 review. Thanks to considerable efforts of the Finance and Business Planning Committee, we are now lean and mean, but unless we begin to operate in a more centralised, business like and global way, IFLA will lose funding from our major supporters and the Federation will be in jeopardy. The Friends of IFLA Report Proposal and the IFLA draft proposal for World Accreditation approved in Turin are an important part of this strategy. In addition we are looking at alternative funding mechanisms for our World Congresses and addressing the question of dues. We have in place since July 2014 a revised sponsorship strategy and details of sponsorship projects. A survey will reach out to landscape architects who are not yet affiliated to national associations encouraging them to support their National Association and to more accurately gauge the number of Landscape Architects world wide so that they can be linked to potential sponsors.
IFLA website has more than 600 daily visits Our Facebook receives 50 new likes per day Twitter gets daily 40 new followers 90% of our LinkedIn followers are from corporate business
facebook.com/ IFLAWorld
@IntFedLandArch
www.iflaonline.org
WHO ARE OUR FOLLOWERS? Website
28% - 18-24 years old 34% - 25-34 years old 16% - 35-44 years old 13% - 45-54 years old 4.5% - 55-64 years old 4.5% - 65+ years old
45%
55%
600 daily visits
25% - 18-24 years old 16% - 25-34 years old 5% - 35-44 years old 4% - 44+ years old
5.503 users engage with our post
3 minutes per session 40% returning visitors
45%
55%
Top Countries
Top Countries
Cambodia, Jordan, Syria, India, Italy, Egypt, Mongolia, Portugal, Turkey, Bolivia
China, United States, France, Italy, United Kingdom, Brazil, Germany, Canada, United Arab Emirates, Australia
72% landscaping 40% gardening 37% green solutions 36% construction
Total of 27.1K impressions over the last 4 months Engagement rate of 45.4% lately
34%
100 daily visits
90% corporate and/or design, construction, architecture and planning 10% others
More than 20.000 professionals in our network 100 daily views
66%
Top Countries United Kingdom, United States, Turkey, Spain, Canada, Mexico, Australia, France, Italy, Indonesia
Top Countries United States, Spain, United Kingdom, Italy, France, Belgium, Australia, Singapore, New Zealand, Canada
Sponsorship Opportunities IFLA has made available five sponsorship packages that allow a range of benefits depending on the level chosen. Bespoke options are also negotiable to suit your needs. Sponsorship packages are available for a one to three year period with the following break-down per annum.
“ “ “
Exclusive Sponsor On-going, comprehensive branding across the contract period. This option is suited to those organisations desiring premium exposure internationally. This option includes a detailed package of branding, marketing, communications and services solutions.
Prime Sponsor Offers high-level exposure to IFLA’s international audience. Product, service or programme promotion is available within the agreement. A crafted package that offers our extended services in marketing and communicating our sponsor to our wide network.
Select Sponsor Provides generous exposure for one to three years and numerous ways to engage with IFLA’s activities and members.
Main Sponsor Available to organisations seeking general promotion through IFLA’s communication channels.
A SAMPLE OF OUR PROJECS 1
Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award
The IFLA Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award is the highest honor that the International Federation of Landscape Architects can bestow upon a landscape architect. The Award recognises a living landscape architect whose lifetime achievements and contributions have had a unique and lasting impact on the welfare of society and the environment and on the promotion of the profession of landscape architecture. The award is bestowed annually on an individual whose work and achievements merit this recognition.
3
Student Design Competition
The IFLA Student Landscape Architecture Design Competition has been an important part of the IFLA World Congress for some time. One of the roles of the competition is to promote and encourage the evolution of the profession of landscape architecture through education.
2
International Landscape Convention
The aim of the task force is to encourage UN agencies to prepare new international policy to protect the landscape of daily life, using a holistic and integrated definition of landscape as well as to strengthen global awareness of the need to safeguard and improve landscapes as an integral element of sustainable development. The task force also assists in the development of national, regional, and international charters and conventions of landscapes to support the development of this global initiative.
4
IFLA World Congress
IFLA World Congress is an annual event focusing on globally relevant topics to the professional of Landscape Architecture. The congress rotates every year in one of the five IFLA Regions and attracts over 1,000 participants. This event gathers a diverse range of professionals to discuss cutting edge topics, research and design solutions as well as promoting transfer of knowledge and global awareness to the profession.
Having a tremendously energised communications agenda and a new, inclusive and transparent approach, there is an open invitation for contributions to this work. If you are interested in helping IFLA, please contact our Executive Director, Ben Roberts on director@iflaonline.org.
Avenue Louise 149/24, 12th floor B-1050 Brussels Belgium
Telephone: 0032 495 568 285 E-mail: admin@iflaonline.org