Our Commitment to the Middle East

After careful consideration, the Council on Vertical Urbanism has decided to relocate our 2026 VU Summit from Riyadh and Dubai to London this October.

Given the ongoing challenges in the Middle East, this move ensures a stable setting for global participation and the high standard expected for conference program delivery. It also reflects a deliberate and inclusive evaluation process across our leadership, partners, and stakeholders.

London provides the connectivity, infrastructure, and accessibility to convene our global community safely and effectively, while strongly reinforcing this year’s theme. Its leading position at the intersection of design, development, and cultural discourse make it a fitting setting to advance this conversation.

This adjustment enables continuity at a global level, while preserving our original intent—and the strong foundation already established—for a future convening in the Middle East that reflects the region’s ambition, partnerships, and growing momentum. The Middle East remains integral to the work of CVU, and we are actively exploring opportunities to convene there in a more focused capacity in 2027, with the intention of returning for a full international summit in 2028.

In the meantime, the region’s work and its relevance to the conference theme will be meaningfully integrated into the London program, including a dedicated track highlighting its ongoing contributions and developments.