Ajman Urban Planning Conference Discusses Planning, Family, and Identity on Second Day

The Ajman International Urban Planning Conference, in its tenth edition, continued its work at Ajman University under the theme “From Our History We Plan Our Future: Between Heritage, Art and Creativity, Innovation, and the Future”, with the participation of more than 44 speakers and experts from within and outside the country, alongside elite academics and decision-makers, over 20 and 21 January.

The second day witnessed the organization of three specialized dialogue sessions addressing themes of urban planning, family and community, and arts and heritage, in addition to a session within community councils, with the participation of a number of officials, experts, and specialists.

The first session, within the urban planning theme, discussed contemporary transformations in planning concepts and the role of creativity and modern technologies in designing future cities. Speakers included Tim Fu, designer and founder of “Tim Fu” office specializing in integrating human creativity with artificial intelligence; Professor Dr. Khaled Jalal Ahmed, Professor of Architecture and Urban Planning at United Arab Emirates University; Dr. Apostolos Kyriazis, Associate Professor of Architecture at Abu Dhabi University; and Dr. Jihad Awad, Head of Architecture Department at Ajman University.

The second session focused on the family and community theme, where participants discussed the importance of human-centered urban planning and the role of urban policies in enhancing quality of life. Participants in the dialogue included Dr. Engineer Mohammed Ahmed bin Omair Al Muhairi, Executive Director of the Infrastructure Development Sector at the Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman; Dr. Moza Mohammed, specialist in strategic planning and care for senior citizens; Dr. Mona Al Dabbagh, innovation expert and Chief Executive Officer of “Hala Jari” company; and the session was moderated by media professional Mohammed Omran.

The third session addressed the relationship between arts, cultural heritage, and urban identity, with participation from Fatima Al Suwaidi, Head of Cultural Heritage Legislation and Policy Section at the Ministry of Culture; Engineer Mohammed Mohsen, architect, urban planner, and expert in smart city innovation; Khaled Al Shaafar, product designer; and Khadija Al Turki, tourism development and marketing expert at the Department of Tourism, Culture and Media in Ajman, where diverse visions were presented on the importance of integrating cultural heritage into modern city design.

The second day also included a community council session entitled “Youth Trends in Shaping the Home of the Future”, with participation from Abdullah Al Rumaithi, Chairman of Ajman Youth Council, and Abdullah Abdulsamad Al Shehhi, former Youth Council Chairman, where they discussed youth visions regarding future housing patterns and their role in designing flexible and sustainable urban environments.

Participants unanimously agreed on the importance of enhancing integration between urban planning and social and cultural dimensions, emphasizing the role of innovation and youth in building the future of cities, with the necessity of preserving local identity and cultural heritage in line with sustainable development requirements.

Nine specialized workshops were also organized, addressing topics in urban planning, architectural design, sustainability, and innovation, and contributed to exchanging expertise and enriching technical and knowledge discussions among participants.

The organization of the Ajman International Urban Planning Conference comes within the framework of the Municipality and Planning Department in Ajman’s efforts to enhance knowledge partnerships and open dialogue channels between government, academic, and private entities, in support of the sustainable urban development journey in the emirate.