According to the UN Habitat figures, population in urban areas in less developed countries will grow from 1.9 billion in 2000 to 3.9 billion in 2030. This surge in the numbers of dwellers will put a strain on the existing infrastructures, worsen living conditions, create unsanitary environments and carve out slums and disaster prone sites. The threat from unplanned, unbridled and uncoordinated urban development results is real and looms over many cities. Hence it becomes urgent for policy makers to manage urbanization as it occurs by implementing effective land-use management, providing reliable and affordable access to basic services, education, housing, transport and health. We need a collective effort in ensuring a viable future.
Activistar believes that we can start shaping the sustainable development thinkers; motivating the innovators and inspiring the practitioners of the future through education for sustainability. This city planning competition will facilitate participants to understand what are the current and future challenges that the developing countries are experiencing under the pressure of rapid urbanization with the number of city dwellers and migrants swelling. They will appreciate the work of relevant authorities and leaders in managing the many interconnected tenets of urban development and planning.
This international township planning competition – The Young Mayor Competition - hopes to nurture youth leaders for a sustainable future.
Activistar's first Assembly Series of 5 cities (2011-2016) features Hanoi, Iskandar Malaysia, Yangon, Manila and Jakarta. These are populous epicentres of commerce, of historical significance, hold political legacies and significant in their own period. The second Assembly Series of the next 5 cities begins with Phnom Penh (2017), and will offer all participants a fresh look of South East Asia. In 2018 we chose Brunei Darussalam as it is a rising small country very similar to Singapore and shares a common currency with Singapore. Brunei Darussalam is the ancient seat of the Malay archipelago and a former British Protectorate, now a fully sovereign independent nation. However due to COVID-19, we had to shift the program online and re-formatted it for our participants.
From 2023, we restarted the Assembly series with interests from Malaysia, China and India. We managed study trips and seminars in addition to starting a diploma (development studies) with Trent Global in Singapore for advanced students interested in this field. More information can be found at Diploma (Development Studies)
ABOUT THE COMPETITION
The selected case study for 2026 for Planning a Clean and Green City competition is "Dili, Timor Leste". Targeted at youth leaders between 14 - 26 years old. We are inviting teams from the whole of Southeast Asia, and especially students from the case-study country to participate. This is in line with our vision to reach out to as many youths as possible because the sustainability message is universal and is beyond borders. Also we want to encourage cross border exchanges among youths to increase knowledge and cultural exchange.
Besides coaching in urban planning domains, we have added field trips to enhance the appreciation for Phuket, Thailand and to invite all our participating countries to visit Singapore to see some of the urban solutions that Singapore has already embraced as an urban laboratory.
Case study for The Young Mayor Competition 2026
“PLANNING A CLEAN AND GREEN CITY
Dili, Timor Leste”
Dili, Timor Leste has come a long way since Independence, now being the newest entrant to the ranks of ASEAN. Throughout it's tumultuous past, Dili has maintained a sort of quiet mystique, somewhat latin and somewhat off-grid. Perhaps now, Dili can be a classical case study of Tabula Rasa, and to be assembled on a new urban canvas. The urban mythology and cultural capital is in tact despite the bullet scarred walls and broken corners. From afar, it seems that the streets have no name, to borrow a line from a popular song, but the real "Dili is in the details". Let's uncover and rethink, reimagine and get realistic on how this youngest kid on the ASEAN bloc can leapfrog into modernity. Thereupon, we need to visualise Dili beyond its sore lack of engineering and instead into it's Habitus, and perhaps only then, can we craft and unlock a more beautiful city form.
The questions you want to examine will be how to:
1. Revive its economic vitality and sustainability. Your team must illustrate some broad policy for this city which may aid in the economic agenda of generating growth for its citizens so as to raise the quality of life through employment, while undertaking the pressing needs for housing, transport, waste management, health, environment quality, commercial activities and other infrastructural requirements.
2. Attract residents, businesses and tourists back. Take into consideration any or all of the sustainability principles in terms of social, economic and environmental aspects. For instance the problem of vagrants and informal settlers, poorly managed traffic, transport and parking systems, floods, unusable sidewalks.
3. Formulate strategies and plans for implementation for this area. Propose a viable plan with unique ideas, timeline and resources needed. Taking into account legislative, cultural and financial status of the city. Given that the players and the pieces are in motion and ideas are plentiful and problems are surmounting, your proposal should also examine the probabilities of why it can or cannot be implemented, while illustrating a distinct visionary leadership qualities.
4. Undertake a scenario planning exercise in "visioning" what future conditions and events are probable, what their consequences or effects would be like and how to respond or benefit from them. Example: Taking into account new digital economy and population changes.
5. Suggest any ground-up initiatives and nation-building campaigns that can overcome issues of displacement, over-development and pollution. Suggest soft policies (i.e. ways to incentivise your approach)
Competition Question:
Take time to study what is happening in Dili and the regions around it. Make a case for fast development or design with nature? What kind of improvements are needed or not needed? The ideas could be active or passive, could there be a need for more infrastructure, wider social programs or massive reorganisation of the economy?
10th April 2026 (Day 1) - Presentations (Q&A)
11th April 2026 (Day 2) - Presentations (Q&A)
12th April 2026 (Day 3) - Model Making & Award Ceremony
Where is the Competition Held?
100 Victoria Street, Central Library, Singapore
Where is the Competition Held?
100 Victoria Street, Central Library, Singapore
When is the registration dateline?
23 Jan 2026 (teams to submit registration form and settle payment)
Where is the submission date for written Proposal (15 page excluding Annexes)
11 March 2026 (email to join.us@activistar.com)
What are the Prizes?
Contact Us
Activistar Pte Ltd
22 Sin Ming Lane #06-76
Singapore 573969
Activistar Pte Ltd
22 Sin Ming Lane #06-76
Singapore 573969
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