Up to 5,000 residents of New York City and the surrounding region will gather at the Jacob Javits Center on Saturday, July 20th for Listening to the City -- an interactive, high-tech town meeting. Participants will consider plans for the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan and the creation of a permanent memorial for 9/11. The event is sponsored by the Civic Alliance to Rebuild Downtown New York.

Listening to the City is an historic opportunity for residents in the New York region to engage in a democratic planning process for Lower Manhattan. Although the redevelopment planning process is moving forward, there is a critical window of opportunity for the public to shape the rebuilding process. Participant input will be widely disseminated to decision-makers, who have committed to seriously consider their recommendations.

Participants will come from all walks of life - residents and workers, survivors and families of victims, emergency and rescue workers, business and property owners, citizens and civic leaders. The region's rich ethnic, racial, and geographic diversity will be represented.

Listening to the City builds on a prior, 600-person event devoted to the redevelopment of Lower Manhattan, which took place on February 7, 2002, at the South Street Seaport. Click here to learn more about this event and its outcomes.

On July 20th, participants will have an opportunity to view and comment on alternative proposals for the site, adjacent areas and related transportation and to voice their opinions on the process for creating a permanent memorial.

Participants will be seated in intimate 10-to-12 person round-table discussions, each led by a trained facilitator who is skilled in small-group dynamics. Networked, wireless laptop computers will serve as "electronic flipcharts" to record ideas generated during the small group discussions. Each table's input will be instantly transmitted to a "theme team" that identifies emerging themes and ideas from the small group discussions. Each participant will then use wireless polling keypads to rank and vote upon the shared responses, with the results being instantly recorded and displayed.

Participants are requested to stay for the entire program. Check-in and breakfast begins at 8 a.m. The program will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

Seating is limited! To register, complete a registration form online or call 1-800-862-3154. Spanish and English-speaking operators are available at all times.

Participation is free and includes breakfast, lunch and beverages. Vegetarian and kosher lunches will be available (no special orders necessary).

For detailed directions to the Javits Center by car, subway and ferry, click here.

Individuals unable to attend on July 20th for religious observance or other compelling reasons are invited to register - on a first-come/first-served basis - for a smaller event on Monday, July 22nd by calling 212-404-3041.