The Organizing Committee of the First Palestinian Urban Forum, which will be organized at the Prince Turki Bin Abdul Aziz Theater, An-Najah University’s New Campus next month, held its first preparatory meeting at the University. Attendees included Dr.  Na’el Salman, Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) in Palestine, Dr. Ali Abdel Hamid, Head of the Forum’s Scientific Committee, Engineer Nash’at Tahboub, as representative of the private sector, Mr. Firas Dwaikat, from Nablus Municipality, and Mr. Khaled Mufleh, the Forum’s Media Spokesman.

The participants discussed the all the issues related to the organization of the Forum which will be the meeting point for hundreds of experts in the field of urban and architectural planning and sustainable development in Palestine. The Forum will be held under the title “Towards a Sustainable Palestinian Urban Development-Collective Responsibility”.

The anticipated Forum aims to reinforce the policy and public dialogue regarding the current situations and the prospects of urban development in Palestine. It also sheds light on the current status of urban development in the country, highlights the challenges and obstacles that stand in the face of urban development and sound planning, as well as the problems that Palestinian institutions encounter on all levels.

The Forum covers a number of issues including the challenges that face urban development and future strategies, management and urban governance, the practices and policies of urban planning, in addition to issues related to land and housing.

The Organizing Committee has announced the opening of the registration for the Forum’s Exhibition which will be held over three days during the Forum which aims to showcase the different projects, current programs and future plans that the private and public sectors intend to carry out in Palestine, in addition to Palestinian and international subjects and products related to the best practices in the field of sustainable development.

The Committee also announced the organization of a painting competition in which participants would compete with paintings that they make which reflect the youth’s future perception of several aspects of future, sustainable Palestinian city, in addition to photography competition which would reflect the problems and challenges that Palestinian cities encounter. The competition targets schools students, university students, as well as amateur and professional artists.