Bellville, Cape Town’s second-largest business node, proudly stepped into the global spotlight as the Greater Tygerberg Partnership (GTP) recently co-hosted the 2025 International Downtown Association (IDA) World Towns Leadership Summit. Alongside the Central City Improvement District (CCID) and other partners, GTP welcomed international urban experts to Cape Town - and to Bellville specifically - for a collaborative, solutions-focused gathering on the future of our urban spaces.
The summit, themed The Value of Downtowns and City Centres in a Changing World, brought together urban specialists, public-private partnership leaders, and place-makers from across the globe. The event sparked bold conversations and established global connections aimed at improving communities through innovative, people-first urban development.
“Bellville is a dynamic and densely populated area facing its own set of challenges, but ones that mirror what many downtowns experience globally,” said Warren Hewitt, CEO of the Greater Tygerberg Partnership. “We were thrilled to give our international peers a glimpse into the realities and opportunities here. We hope they left not just with insights from our work in Bellville, like our waste centre and public realm innovations, but also with a sense of the unique energy and possibility that exists here. We love hosting and are excited to continue building connections that shape lasting change.”
According to David Downey, President and CEO of the International Downtown Association, the summit marked a powerful moment of global exchange and the start of a new, collective vision for the future of cities.
“This gathering allowed our international peers to explore how urban challenges are being addressed in diverse contexts, including right here in Bellville. We saw how GTP is tackling issues like homelessness, workforce development, and the maintenance of public spaces in a way that aligns with global best practice while remaining deeply rooted in local needs. These are exactly the kinds of collaborations our industry needs, where the public and private sectors work hand-in-hand to shape inclusive, thriving communities,” Downey said.
As part of the summit, GTP hosted an interactive Design Thinking Workshop in Bellville, a key session that sparked critical dialogue around the complex challenges facing urban centres around the world. The workshop created a space for shared learning, where delegates exchanged insights, co-created solutions, and explored how placemaking can be used to address local and global challenges, from managing waste and informal economies to strengthening community pride and cohesion.
Leading Through Partnership
For GTP, co-hosting the IDA Summit wasn’t just an opportunity to showcase Bellville but an affirmation of their overall unique approach to urban transformation. As the go-to, trusted, and connected urban specialist, GTP’s work is deeply embedded in community co-creation, place-led solutions, and evidence-based innovation. Through area promotion, economic revitalisation, and environmental regeneration, GTP creates restored neighbourhoods’ people can call home.
“Our work at GTP is grounded in the belief that places grow when people do,” added Hewitt. “That’s why we focus on partnerships that turn conversations into action. Whether it’s upskilling youth, supporting local entrepreneurs, or rethinking public spaces, we work alongside communities to co-create solutions - building a renewed sense of belonging and creating better places people are proud of.”
As the summit concluded with momentum and shared purpose, Bellville stood not only as a host city but as an urban laboratory, offering practical examples of how place-based innovation, when done with and for the community, can spark hope, unlock opportunity, and shape lasting change.
For more information visit www.gtp.org.za.
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