In a brief speech, Dr Carsten-Michael Walbiner, Director of the DAAD Regional Office Cairo, opened the event by welcoming the attendees and pointing out the importance of the event, the role played by DAAD in this regard, and the importance of the COSIMENA project as one of the Egyptian-German cooperation programs in promoting education and sustainability.

The program included keynotes addressed by renowned scientists and urban planners, panel discussions on pressing environmental issues, and one interactive workshop. The sessions explored themes like green infrastructure, adaptive urban governance, and the role of technology in enhancing climate resilience.

The event aimed to bridge geographical gaps, foster a shared understanding of climate-resilient urban development challenges and solutions, and exchange knowledge to cultivate a new generation of researchers eager to engage in collaborative endeavours between Germany and the MENA region. It also aimed to share challenges and mutual goals in climate-resilient urban development in the MENA region and facilitate a vibrant exchange of ideas and experiences with local and international experts in the field.

Dr Hassan Elmouelhi, a Senior Researcher and Project Coordinator at Technische Universität Berlin, explained that the project idea explores the role of urban planning education in the Arab region and considers climate change as a component of the educational process, given its overlap with other various elements.

“In their undergraduate studies, urban planners and designers must learn about climate change. The region is suffering from the effects of climate change, so the planners need to know how to deal with that issue. Therefore, we invited scholars from various Arab countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia,” Dr Elmouelhi said.

He added, “We are focusing on urbanism, which is crosscutting with components and conditions, including social, economic, and environmental aspects. The idea for the event originated from a range of accumulated experiences, including work with DAAD Egypt and other entities as well as teaching about the intersection of urban planning and climate change. The speakers bring a range of experiences from various projects,” noting that “participants represent different Egyptian universities, such as Cairo, Ain Shams, Mansoura, and Assiut. We are ready to cooperate with universities and scientific departments, such as specialists in urban geography and urban sociology.”

During the first day of the event, Dr Heba Khalil, Professor of Sustainable Urbanism, Architectural Engineering, and Technology Senior Coordinator at Cairo University, presented the case of Imbaba from the green neighborhood concept. She said that “COSIMENA” helps spread researchers’ outcomes among other concerned researchers and boosts interactions between researchers.

In her presentation, Hellen Aziz, a Research Assistant at the Habitat Unit, Technische Universität Berlin, and a PhD candidate in Urban Development at Kassel University, spoke about the role of community gardens (CGs) and community kitchens (CKs) in supporting marginalized communities in Berlin and Greater Cairo. Aziz’s study, “The Community Gardens and Kitchens and their Contribution to Socio-Economic Development in Berlin and Greater Cairo” highlighted how these spaces address unique local challenges in each city while fostering social and economic benefits.

She explained that in Berlin, CGs and CKs serve as hubs of environmental awareness and social cohesion, with the number of CGs growing from 99 in 2013 to over 230 in 2023; however, in Cairo, these community spaces focus on economic empowerment, especially for women and refugees. Aziz highlighted programs like the Dawar Community Kitchen in Ezbet Khairallah, which provides women with income opportunities and strengthens community bonds.

Professor Sami Turki from the University of Carthage in Tunisia led a discussion that continued the day. He shared insights into recent curriculum reforms at the university’s Institut Supérieur des Technologies de l’Environnement de l’Urbanisme et du Bâtiment (ISTEUB) programme and noted that the Tunisian government’s move toward decentralization has empowered municipalities and heightened citizen involvement in urban governance, creating new demands for urban planning.

Professor Turki highlighted the program’s efforts to incorporate climate adaptation, sustainable development, and resilience into the curriculum, equipping students with practical skills to address Tunisia’s water scarcity and climate risks. Although core reforms have faced bureaucratic challenges, Professor Turki emphasized the program’s commitment to interdisciplinary education and collaboration with public authorities.

The first day concluded with an impactful presentation from Prof. Dr Jihad Farah, Director of the Urban Policy Research Program at the Arab Urban Development Institute. Using Lebanon as a case study. Prof. Dr Farah examined how the country’s political and economic instability has driven residents to adopt unconventional strategies to sustain their urban environments.

He further described how Lebanese communities have developed decentralized systems for housing, water, and energy provision, reflecting local resilience in the absence of state support. He advocated for “cosmopolitical” urban planning, which prioritizes community-led solutions over state-centred ones—a model he believes could benefit other cities facing similar challenges.

On the second day, Dr Maram Tawil, Associate Professor at the German Jordanian university, and Prof. Dr Christa Reicher, Director of the Institute for Urban Design and European Urbanism at the Faculty of Architecture at the RWTH Aachen University, reviewed the integrated green network of public space as an option for Amman.

Also on the second day, Prof. Dr Mohamed Salheen, Professor of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) at Ain Shams University, presented his vision for greener cities in his talk “Towards Greener Egyptian Cities2. Prof. Dr Salheen outlined an integrated approach to urban agriculture and sustainable design, highlighting case studies from Aswan and Nuweibaa, where rooftop gardens and organic farms have bolstered local food security and biodiversity. Prof. Dr Salheen’s project includes hands-on initiatives, such as revitalizing Heissa Island in Aswan with the support of academia, NGOs, and local communities. By prioritizing social inclusivity alongside environmental benefits, his work aims to create resilient urban spaces tailored to Egypt’s specific challenges.

He further added that “the importance of projects like COSIMENA is that they bring together different groups of people of different specialties who care about a certain issue. The event brings hot topics to the forefront and into the community discussion and facilitates the exchange of ideas between participants.”

The day also included an inspirational presentation by Dr Ing. Mina Samaan, Assistant Professor of Architecture at Galala University, who inspired the audience with his journey studying engineering in Egypt and Germany despite his severe visual impairment.

Following, Mohamed El Ballah, M.Sc., Arab Academy for Science, Technology, and Maritime Transport (AAST) focused in his presentation on revitalization efforts in Port Said. His work emphasizes community-centered development, with projects like the restoration of Ferial Garden and the redesign of Palestine Street. These initiatives seek to balance historical preservation with modern accessibility, creating pedestrian-friendly spaces that engage residents and honour the city’s heritage.

Also on the second day, Marianne Makar, an advisor at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Egypt, presented the joint efforts between the agency and the Urban Development Fund (UDF) to boost climate resilience and social equity in Egypt’s urban areas.  Their strategy includes developing climate resilience instruments and advancing institutional capacities. It also included technical training on climate adaptation and a pivotal Urban October event addressing heat stress resilience, supported by partnerships with universities and local entities.

The symposium concluded with a presentation about the Shagara design studio, which employs design thinking and green techniques to integrate vegetation into human life in order to mitigate climate change and air pollution and build sustainable communities.

Following each session, participants asked questions and engaged in discussions with the speakers. The interventions reflected the participants’ interaction with the speakers and their interest in the symposium topic. The participants included academics, recent graduates, and those interested in environmental and planning issues from Egypt, Palestine, and Syria. There was notable female participation.

In an interactive workshop, Dr Parisa Kloss, Executive Director of Resilient Urban Planning and Development (RUPD), highlighted the crucial role cities play in climate resilience. Dr Kloss showcased successful global examples, like Copenhagen’s goal to be carbon neutral by 2025 and shared practical strategies for urban heat island mitigation and early warning systems for extreme weather. Her session empowered young academics with tools to translate climate research into practical urban policies, stressing the importance of collaboration and local action.

The session encompassed a variety of interactive activities, where participants responded to the speaker’s questions and formed groups of four or five individuals to collaboratively explore solutions to environmental issues or identify key players in topics such as afforestation, urban expansion, and climate finance. During the session, participants engaged in group discussions, summarised their ideas on small papers, and presented them to the trainer.

The symposium highlighted the vital role of community engagement, climate adaptation, and local resilience in shaping the future of cities across the Arab region, underscoring that sustainable, inclusive urban growth is possible with collaborative and innovative approaches.