TOPIC: Multilayered Cities and Urban Systems – Structures Functions, Transitions, Transactions The Topics - Under the all-encompassing title Multilayered Cities and Urban Systems: Structures, Functions, Transactions and Transitions, the conference proposes to research on and debate/discuss the following and related themes: 1.Urban Structures & Systems – Evolution and Implications for Sustainable economy and Environment – Independence and the Interdependencies 2.Multilayered cities –Mega-cities and Glocalisation - Morphology, Livelihoods, Lifestyles; Formal-Informal Sectors 3.Resources and Urban Requirements – Water, Energy, Services, Other Infrastructure 4.Security and Conflict – for the Economy, the people, the environment – vulnerable areas and marginal people 5.Urban Infrastructure – Amenities Tourism – Amenities and Ambience

MULTILAYERISM: The Theme>: Settlements with long historical experiences and varied interactive networks and linkages from diverse economies and cultures produce variations in the structural configurations in respective urban systems and cities. They coexist and sometimes function on the basis of complementarities, but can also have conflicting relations. These have greater significance with respect to old civilisations and cultures, particularly of the old world, with each successive experience forming layers of presence projected in the cultural traits, architectural designs and politico – economic profiles across the urban morphologies. The spaces that each try to carve for themselves invariably involve a kind of confrontation between equals and further marginalisation of the vulnerable sections (areas, people and sectors) in the case of unequals. Efforts at self preservation have given rise to interest groups and organisations in their cause, but the need for their sustenance in economies with limited formal infrastructure is high. The hitherto limited exploration of ‘Multilayerism’ is confined to technological and sociological concept and its relevance to metro cities and systems of the old world being high, the concept gathered consideration for examination in 2005, when the proposal to organise the Urban Commission meeting in Hyderabad was presented to the Commission in Tokyo and Santiago de Compostela in 2005 and 2006, with the formal presentation in 2008 in Tunisia.