Urban observatory workshop opens

The first workshop on urban observatories was launched on Monday by the Mayor of Madinah Province, Khalid Taher, on behalf of Prince Faisal bin Salman, Madinah governor and president of the Council of Urban Observatories (CUO). The three-day event aims to train workforce on the latest methods that observatories have adopted in the production of global urban indicators. To this end, they will conduct field surveys on the socio-economic development in Madinah Province.
Taher said the event would focus on various issues, including the concepts of urban observatories and indicator systems and how to develop them. Other topics include the use of urban indicators in the preparation of local urban development policies in cities and performance monitoring and evaluation of plans, programs and projects of the municipality. The experience of Local Urban Observatory for Madinah and practical training on data and how to deal with those for the production of indicators are among the topics that will come up during the deliberations.
The workshop is the first of its kind being implemented in accordance with the instructions of the governor for the formation of urban observatories in the city and affiliated municipalities.
This is part of the adoption of a package of new indicators related to Haj and Umrah mechanism surveys, relating to social, economic and developmental issues that will be studied in future monitoring sessions in coordination with both the Islamic University and the Taibah University as well as the specialized scientific centers.
The workshop follows the completion of the establishment of urban observatories for Madinah, Ais and Wadi Al-Far.