KFH-Bahrain sponsors The Prince's Foundation eighth Built Environment Annual Conference

He addressed the need to implement locally inspired solutions to problems experienced by communities around the world today.

He criticised "poor planning and place making that had contributed towards the degradation helped degrade the natural environment and "fostered dislocation and rootlessness, not to mention unmitigated ugliness".

The Prince of Wales continued: "Well-made places are fundamental to the ability to establish locally inspired solutions to local issues - and indeed, local solutions to global ones."

Prominently representing Kuwait Finance House - Bahrain were Mr. Abdulhakeem Alkhayyat Managing Director and CEO together with Mr. Abdul Razak Jawahery Executive Manager.

Commenting on the conference, Mr. Alkhayyat said:

"Sustainability, in relation to any large real estate development can be interpreted in two ways; firstly, by promoting the judicious use of our finite and renewable resources whilst minimising their environmental impact, secondly, the ability of the built environment to cope with increased human capacity and their evolving needs."

"I was personally very impressed by the forward thinking concepts and strategies that the Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment were trying to promote. The conference was informative and inspirational, and tried to incorporate sustainability into urban planning creating a development that will improve the long-term social and ecological health," he added.

The Prince of Wales asked the delegates whether the world could build developments that respect existing settlements, improve living standards and accommodate the expected flood of migrants to urban areas.

He continued, "I believe we can, and that the benefits of taking such a critical approach could deliver more durable gains than those delivered through the present brutal and insensitive processes of globalisation that is shaping so many aspects of how we now live today."

The one-day conference themed 'Globalisation From The Bottom Up', showcased a number of schemes from across the globe that are sensitively developing or restoring historic or poor areas hand in hand with local people.

The Prince's Foundation is involved in many of these projects and the Prince of Wales highlighted one in particular - the Rose Town district of Kingston, Jamaica, where community leaders are attempting to regenerate an area which has been blighted by gang violence. The delegates also learned about projects in Kabul, Cairo, and Jaipur in India.

The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment is an educational charity founded by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales established in 1986. It seeks to improve the quality of people's lives by teaching and practicing timeless and ecological ways of planning, designing and building.