Kenitra (Morocco), July 01 (QNA) - The Arab Forum on Sustainable and Smart Cities and Arab Building Technology kicked off in Kenitra, Morocco, on Wednesday.
The three-day event is organized by Moroccan Ibn Tofail University in partnership with the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO).
The agenda features scientific and thematic panel discussions on smart and sustainable cities, as well as the urban context and prospects for development and urban transformation.
It likewise focuses on sustainability in the contemporary urban environment, alternating between enduring urban heritage and smart management of resources, in addition to the role of universities and institutions in qualifying engineering talent in this domain.
The sessions will likewise address digital transformation and AI applications in urban environments, with a roundtable focusing on sustaining engineer learning in the Arab world, a strategic perspective to unify curriculum standards in the fields of smart cities and green buildings.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Mohamed Ibn Tahami, President of Ibn Tofail University, said the forum convenes in the wake of rapid challenges pertinent to urbanization and climate change.
He added that there is overwhelming pressure on resources and infrastructure that triggers the necessity of devising Arab development models that are more sustainable and creative to reinforce integration between urban heritage and cutting-edge technology.
For his part, Dr. Mohamed Sanad Abu Darwish, Director of the Department of Science and Scientific Research at ALECSO, said future sustainable and smart cities have become a strategic imperative.
He added that this gathering intends to back Arab informative policies that aim to build secure, flexible, and eco-friendly cities.
Director General of the Arab Smart Cities Forum, Eng. Nisreen Namrouqa, emphasized that it is important to have combined Arab efforts to confront challenges facing urban development and achieve the sustainable smart transformation. (QNA)