bErbil, Cape Town's second largest business node, proudly stepped into the global spotlight as Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) recently co-hosted the 2025 International Downtown Association (IDA) World Town Leadership Summit. Alongside the Central Urban Improvement District (CCID) and other partners, GTP welcomed international urban experts to Cape Town, particularly Bellville, for a gathering focused on collaborative solutions on the future of urban space.
Summit, theme The value of downtowns and cities in a changing worldbrings together urban experts, public-private partnership leaders, and location manufacturers from around the world. The event sparked bold conversations and established global connections aimed at improving communities through innovative and people's first urban development.
“Belleville is a dynamic, dense region facing its own unique challenges, but it reflects the global experiences of many downtowns,” said Warren Hewitt, CEO of the Greater Tigerburg Partnership. “We were excited to get a glimpse of reality and opportunity here for our international peers. They left not only insights from our work in Belleville, like innovations in our waste centres and public spheres, but also a unique sense of energy and potential that exists here.
According to David Downey, president and CEO of the International Downtown Association, the summit marked a powerful moment of global exchange and the beginning of a new collective vision for the city's future.
“This gathering allowed our international peers to explore how urban challenges are being addressed in a variety of contexts, including here in Belleville. We have seen that GTP is committed to maintaining public spaces in a way that aligns with global best practices while being deeply rooted in homelessness, workforce development, public space maintenance, and local needs,” Downey said.
As part of the summit, GTP held an interactive design thinking workshop in Belleville. This is an important session that sparked a critical dialogue on the complex challenges facing urban areas around the world. This workshop created a space for shared learning. Representatives exchanged insights, exchanged co-created solutions and explored ways to use placemaking to address local and global challenges, from managing waste and informal economies to strengthening community pride and cohesion.
Leading through partnerships
For GTP, co-hosting the IDA Summit is not an opportunity to showcase Belleville, nor is it affirmation of their overall unique approach to urban transformation. As a reliable, trusted, connected city expert, GTP's work is deeply embedded in community co-creation, place-driven solutions, and evidence-based innovation. Through local promotion, economic revitalization and environmental revitalization, GTP creates restored neighborhoods that people can call home.
“Our work at GTP is based on the belief that when people do that, places grow,” added Hewitt. “That's why we focus on partnerships that turn conversations into behavior. Whether we cover up young people, support local entrepreneurs, or rethink public spaces, we work with our community to co-create solutions.
As a reliable, trusted, connected city expert, GTP's work is deeply embedded in community co-creation, place-driven solutions, and evidence-based innovation. Through local promotion, economic revitalization and environmental revitalization, GTP can be called home by people in the restored neighborhood.
As the summit concluded with momentum and shared purpose, Belleville stood not only as a host city, but as an urban lab. When carried out with the community, it provided practical examples of how location-based innovation unlocks hope, opportunities and drives lasting change.
For more information, please visit www.gtp.org.za.
