Doha, January 25 (QNA) - The 7th Scientific Conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Geographical Society (GCCGS) kicked off in Doha on Sunday.

The three-day event is convened in collaboration with the Katara Cultural Village under the theme of culture and modern trends in geography and applications of artificial intelligence.

The opening ceremony was attended by Katara's general manager, Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, President of GCCGS Dr. Khaled Hamad Aba Al Zamat, alongside a contingent of academics and specialized researchers from the GCC states and Arab world.

In his opening remarks, Al Sulaiti said he is pleased to have Katara host this consequential Gulf scientific event, which he stressed embodies a shared awareness of geographical knowledge as a strategic milestone that directly addresses human issues, location, and development.

Hosting this conference aligns with Katara's vision as an overall cultural space, which isn't only confined to showcasing arts but also embraces thought, believing in the fact that vibrant culture is the one that fully integrates with scientific research and helps produce knowledge and fashion awareness, Al Sulaiti underlined.

Al Sulaiti further clarified that today geography has become a pivotal tool to fathom the rapid evolution and unpack the environmental, economic, and urban challenges. He hoped that the conference deliberations would come up with practical recommendations that support sustainable development and strengthen Gulf scientific integration.

Dr. Al Zamat, for his part, affirmed that convening this conference matters most as a scientific and thoughtful platform that reflects the GCCGS's commitment to advancing geographical knowledge and sharing expertise among researchers and specialists in the Gulf states and Arab region.

Al Zamat affirmed that he is grateful to Katara for curating and supporting this convention, commending its pioneering role in deepening the State of Qatar's standing as a beacon for culture, thought, and dialogue.

There is confidence that the conference sessions and its scientific papers would nurture geographical research, as well as crystallize incredible recommendations that keep up with the aspirations of the Gulf societies, Dr. Al Zamat suggested.

The first session on culture and modern trends in geography convened by weighing in on an array of specialized scientific papers that reflected leveraging cutting-edge technologies in serving cultural and heritage geography.

Dr. Badr bin Adel Al Faqeer presented a paper on the role of an AI system in monitoring, analyzing, and protecting rock art and inscriptions in the northwest of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia -a case study.

Meanwhile, the paper by Dr. Noura Al Naseri and Dr. Ibrahim Al Balushi focused on urban planning using AI.

Dr. Hamza Ali Al Khwalidah and Dr. Nidal Mohammed Al Zaboun submitted a paper on tourism image analysis using AI-powered applications, as well as sentiment analysis and objective analysis of visitor‑generated digital content.

Dr. Rasha Sultan discussed in her paper the role of AI in enhancing urban heritage and cultural belonging -Tripoli as a model.

Hanan bint Abdul Latif Al Ghailan Al Tamimi presented a paper on leveraging geographic AI and spatial technologies in creating and designing the Saudi architecture map as a cultural‑heritage geography study.

Finally, Nihal Abdullah Ayesh Hassan and Dr. Hani Rabee Nadi Mohammed co‑presented a paper on applications of geographic AI in managing tangible world heritage sites: Islamic Cairo and historic Jeddah.

The second-day sessions tackled AI applications in natural and environmental geography, which drilled down on topics of using AI in climate change, managing environmental risks and flood impact, urban and rural geography, as well as monitoring pollution. This was alongside a cultural program that included a visit to the Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif.

On the third day, the conference will wind up by holding a session on modern geographic technologies and their applications in geography, followed by the final session where the conference recommendations were proffered, in addition to convening the GCCGS's General Assembly meeting. (QNA)