International forum on urban development to begin

Hussein Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municiapltiy, said the event is organised in cooperation with the American University of Dubai and Dubai Properties Group.

He noted that the event is a direct outcome of a conference on "Urban Planning and Challenges of Cities" held in Harvard University in coordination with Dubai Municipality during 18-19 April 2003.

He said the forum would discuss many topics on how to protect the cities and develop them.

"Participation in the first Dubai Forum for Sustainable Urban Development would offer the participants significant academic and practical return to those work in this field," he said.

Lootah noted that the conference organising committee had invited six experts and specialists in the field of the topics chosen for discussion in order to know the international best practices in solving issues and method of rehabilitating the central business district that provide the essence of economic activity. This will facilitate detailed discussion of the issue.

The chosen issue will be analysed over three days through round-table discussion and interaction between the experts and participants from different areas of interest and expertise. The round-table discussions will be facilitated by a specialist who will pose questions to the experts and will field questions from conference delegates.

Besides, five teams of students from reputed local, regional and international universities will be invited to present their planning projects concerning CBDs in a competition to be judged by the invited experts.

Lootah said the conference would make recommendations that can be effectively implemented.

The event is sponsored by Emirates Airline, Emaar, Dubai Investments, Abdullah & AbdulWahid Al Rostamani Group, Dubai Sports City, Dubai & Technology and Media Free Zone, Zayed University, Dubai Silicon Oasis, and Dubai Properties.