Connective Theo-Practical Approach For A Better Urban Future

The Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI), in collaboration with the United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) Jordan, is proposing to hold a Voices from Cities event at the 12th session of the World Urban Form. This event aligns with the forum's theme, "It All Starts at Home: Local Actions for Sustainable Cities and Communities," highlighting the power of collaboration between academia and professional practitioners in driving localized urban progress.

Building upon the success of previous training and capacity development initiatives undertaken by AUDI and UN-Habitat that focused on supporting cities in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to localize the Global Agendas to fit their realities, this event delves into the synergy between academic knowledge and practical, localized action for sustainable development, uncovering their combined potential for impactful change.

This event goes beyond simply acknowledging the gap between theoretical frameworks and practical urban development applications. It actively seeks to bridge this divide by embracing the concept of "grounded planning" as in recent urban development literature. Grounded planning is an innovative approach that fosters a dynamic exchange between academia and practitioners. Theoretical frameworks are leveraged to develop new models of practice, while insights from practical experiences are integrated to refine existing theories. It features a series of interactive sessions designed to equip participants with the knowledge, skills, and exposure needed to apply grounded planning principles in their fields by renowned international experts and practitioners.

The event targets urban planners, policymakers, academics, researchers, civil society organizations, NGOs, and representatives from municipalities invested in advancing sustainable urban development in MENA cities. It presents two 45-minute sessions with Q&A discussion that explores:
1. Bridging the Divide; AUDI’s Executive Professional Education Program: The session sheds light on the institutional collaboration derived from AUDI’s Executive Education Program, merging the experiences from both UC Berkeley and SALAR International. It explores the exchange of expertise between East and West through a Theo-Practical dialogue.
2. Sustainable Actions; European– West Asian African Initiatives featuring cases from the UPIMC (Jodanian-Finnish Experience) and SymbioCity. This session shares practical examples of sustainable initiatives from both European, and West Asian - African contexts where the theory and practice dialogue offer valuable insights and inspiration for innovative urban development efforts across diverse geographical regions.

By fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration from a diverse range of geographical areas, the event empowers attendees to apply the gained insights to their contexts, accelerating progress toward sustainable MENA cities.