Leading urban development experts from around the MENA region recently convened in Abu Dhabi to plot the course for the future of Arab cities at the World Urban Forum 10 (WUF10).
Hosted by the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities (DPM), in partnership with UN-Habitat, the Pan Arab Urban Development Symposium (PAUDS) hosted 100 urban planners to identify and explore the most pressing priorities and challenges facing the development of sustainable Arab cities.
The theme of WUF10, taking place in Abu Dhabi in 2020, is ‘Cities of Opportunities: Connecting Culture and Innovation’. Accordingly, the Symposium focused on how to improve the livability, vitality and sustainability of Arab cities while allowing them to remain culturally distinct, using tailor-made, technology driven solutions.
The Symposium itself was split into two constituent parts, an ‘Ideas Lab’ which formed the backbone of the event, supported by a number of in-depth panel discussions. The panel discussions featured urban planning specialists and experts from across the Arab world including KSA, Lebanon, Egypt, Morocco, Jordan and UAE. Panelists drew on their experience to discuss and examine ways to connect innovation and culture; to create urban environments that accommodate increasingly multicultural communities and welcome diversity; and use data partnerships with the private sector and civil society to enable governments to formulate solutions to their most pressing long-term challenges.
Framing the discussions in the Lab was idea that “The modern global city is not a place, but a process”.
The participants in the lab were then split into working groups to address the needs of different constituents of cities such as families, immigrants, knowledge workers, elderly, youth, entrepreneurs, businesses etc.
WUF10 will be convened by UN-Habitat and jointly organized with the Abu Dhabi Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities, along with partners including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International cooperation, the General Secretariat of the Executive Council, the Abu Dhabi Police, Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism and the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
– unhabitat.org