JEDDAH: An international three-day city planning conference in Jubail Industrial City is to begin on Jan. 10.
Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Thunayan, chairman of the Royal Commission for Jubail and Yanbu, will open the three-day event in which experts from Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Britain, Germany, Canada, US, Bahrain, Oman, Holland and South Korea will present papers.
The event will focus on strategic and structural planning, technological applications, recent concepts and techniques in city planning, and the economic dimension of urban development. “The conference aims to promote Jubail Industrial City and benefit from the experience of others by exchanging expertise and interaction between the government, the private sectors and engineers who work in city planning,” said Abdul Aziz Atarji, deputy director general of the Royal Commission for Jubail.
“Master planning in the Western Province of Saudi Arabia: Challenges and Opportunities” is one of several important papers to be discussed at the conference. The paper is significant in the wake of the devastating Nov. 25 Jeddah floods.
Dr. Faisal Al-Sharif of the Saudi Engineering Commission will present his paper — “The Urban Sustainable Development and Mega Projects in Saudi Arabia: Makkah as a Case Study”.
“Lessons of Prophet Muhammad in Urban Planning and Development” is the topic of another paper that will be presented by professor Spahic Omer of International Islamic University Malaysia.
Professor Nohad Tolan of Portland State University will present a paper on “Urban Growth Management Approaches: Practical Lessons” while Ron Shishido of Dillon Consulting in Canada will make a presentation titled “Jubail Industrial City 2030 — Choices and Options for a New Master Plan.”
“Mega Projects and its Effect on the Surrounding Area: King Abdullah University in Thuwal” is another paper to be presented by Majed Almuglah, vice president of Saudi Aramco. Dr. Abdullah Al-Kadi, president of e-government of the Eastern Province, will make a presentation on “Planning Applications and Effects on Economic City Development.”
