By Michael Boland, Deputy Chair, World Urban Parks
World Urban Parks (WUP) is pleased to announce the winners of its 2026 Annual Awards Program. The WUP Awards program is a global initiative that recognizes excellence, innovation, and leadership in the management, design, and community impact of urban parks and open spaces.
WUP Awards recognize the parks, individuals, and organizations that have made significant contributions to advancing our vision:
“A world where people have easy access to and benefit equally from quality urban parks and open spaces”
And our mission:
“The provision and effective management of quality parks and open spaces in cities where people and nature thrive together”
And have made a lasting, positive impact on the cities and communities they serve.
This year, World Urban Parks received 55 nominations from across all five global regions –Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and North America. Applications were received for all six award categories — Distinguished Individual, Young Leader, Leading Organization, Outstanding New Park Project, Neighborhood Park, and Large Urban Parks.
Each application was evaluated by distinguished regional and international juries of urban park experts from each of the five regions. A huge debt of gratitude is owed to the outstanding judges that participated in this year’s awards program:
- Africa Region:
Pawel Gradowski, Nokulunga Khumalo, Graham Young, - Asia-Pacific Region:
Noor Azlin, Mark Bowater, Thomas Dixon, Neil McCarthy, Richard, O’Byrne, - Europe Region:
Gabino Carballo, Taavi Forssell, Clare Lanes, Maarten Loeffen, - Latin America Region:
Juan Carlos Acevedo, Barbara Apodaca, Isabel Velasquez, - North America Region:
Michael Boland, Anne Charlton, Amanda O’Rourke
After careful evaluation of each of the nominations, the regional juries recognized a total of 28 parks, individuals, and organizations that best exemplified World Urban Parks criteria for excellence, innovation, and leadership in park development and stewardship.
The winners will be honored during the annual World Urban Parks International Symposium in Istanbul, Türkiye, on Friday, October 9th.
Please join us in thanking the excellent cohort of applicants to this year’s awards program and congratulating this year’s winners:
