Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council becomes exclusive sponsor of 2nd edition of Al Manakh

The Urban Planning Council is the agency responsible for the future of Abu Dhabi's urban environment. H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, General Manager, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council hosted the Crown Prince at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.

The Al Manakh is a book that offers a detailed analysis of the history, culture and urban architecture of the Gulf. The first edition gained instant credibility among urban planners, universities, architects, media leaders and developers. The 2nd edition is being developed by AMO, Rem Koolhaas' think tank, Pink Tank, a boutique consultancy based in Dubai, the Netherlands Architecture institute and Archis publisher of VOLUME Magazine and is scheduled to be published in early 2010.

H.R.H. Prince Willem Alexander, Crown Prince of The Netherlands, who is interested in sustainable urban development was greeted by H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, General Manager, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council and was presented with a brief overview of Plan Abu Dhabi 2030, which led to a discussion on the theme of the future of the urban areas in the Gulf. The celebration of the UPC-Al Manakh partnership was also attended by key dignitaries from the UAE Government along with the diplomatic representatives from Prince Willem Alexander's official delegation.

Commenting on the occasion, H.E. Falah Mohammed Al Ahbabi, General Manager, Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, said:

"UPC's initiative to exclusively sponsor the 2nd edition of Al Manakh emanates from our commitment to function as an innovative entity, which intends to promote a constant dialogue with the community through tailored communication tools like the Al Manakh. Our ambition is to establish the most decisive global network of teaching, research and communication about urban planning in the Middle East with Abu Dhabi playing a leading role."

He further added, "As we move towards realizing Plan Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 and its sustainable driving force, Estidama, our partnership with Al Manakh would be an effective tool to initiate a new level of debate, expertise and global responsibility while forging UPC's global alliance of collaborative expertise with developers, universities and associated governmental agencies."

According to the Minister of Foreign Trade of The Netherlands, H.E. Mr. Frank Heemskerk "Al Manakh 2 will reveal how the Gulf and its people are turning the roles around to deliver their ideas and priorities to the world."

Mitra Khoubrou, Partner at Pink Tank, said, "The new edition of Al Manakh aims to exemplify Abu Dhabi Vision 2030 as an ongoing discussion on the growing importance and influence of the city in the Gulf region and the changing role of the region in global affairs."

The year 2009 will witness the launch of several new communication tools for promoting the basic objectives of Al Manakh, which are being developed in collaboration with the Corporate Communications department of UPC. The Al Manakh website will feature the actual results of all new and supplementing inquiries for broad and professional audiences. This will be complemented by an international series of debates with experts and city planners, organized by the Netherlands Architecture institute (NAi). Equally, the NAi aims to produce a traveling exhibition to present the cause of innovative urbanism today to a larger audience. The Al Manakh exhibition will reach out to a vast audience, particularly in the Middle East, to venues where Plan Abu Dhabi 2030's leading edge attributes will be effectively projected.

NAi Director Ole Bouman, said: "The NAi is committed to contributing to the cause of sustainable urbanism. By organizing several international debates in 2009 to mobilize the brightest minds in the field, it will do its part to invigorate the message of Al Manakh. Producing an exhibition that may travel to the region in 2010 and beyond, will help getting this message across to new audiences."