The ability of cities in the Middle East to thrive in the decades ahead and accommodate urban growth issues such as demographic and population shifts, the globalization of capital markets, the provision of adequate housing and infrastructure, technology changes, environmental preservation, and land conservation will be explored at an upcoming global real estate summit in Muscat, Oman.
“The City in 2050: Building Tomorrow’s Legacy, Today,” is being organized by the Urban Land Institute (ULI), an international, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to responsible land use, and ULI MENA (Middle East and North Africa), which serves the Institute’s growing membership throughout the region. Set for March 22-23, 2010 at Shangri-La's Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa, the event is being hosted by Oman and the Ministry of Tourism of Oman.
The program is based on ULI’s initiative, The City in 2050: Creating Blueprints for Change, which examines trends and factors shaping the design and development of cities in the 21st century, as well as investment and development practices that strive for economic, social and environmental sustainability. Applicable to both mature and emerging markets, the initiative serves as an idea exchange to help land use practitioners prepare for and respond to the challenges presented by rapid urbanization in countries worldwide and increased industry globalization.
The March real estate summit will serve as the capstone for a series of industry roundtable meetings ULI is hosting January 13-19 in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE; Muscat, Oman; Manama, Bahrain; and Jan Doha, Qatar. At these roundtables, land use experts from throughout the region are convening to discuss urban development challenges and opportunities and market data specific to the Middle East, with the insights shared forming the basis for the March program.
According to William P. Kistler, President of ULI EMEAI (Europe, Middle East, Africa and India), the roundtables and MENA 2050 illustrate the Institute’s expanding outreach in rapidly developing markets throughout the region. “ULI’s focus in the Middle East reflects the vast importance of this part of the world in the increasingly globalised real estate industry,” Kistler said. “The Middle East has enormous potential in the years ahead as a global magnet for investment and development. We are excited to offer ULI’s expertise in an area of the world that has so much to offer in terms of contributions to the built environment.”
MENA 2050 will bring together international experts in sustainable development with key regional leaders and decision makers to explore how global best practices in land use and lessons learned can be applied locally. On the summit’s first day, a small group of invited industry leaders will discuss forces shaping cities both internationally and in the MENA region. The discussions, which will be moderated by internationally renowned meeting facilitator Chris Grant, will result in a range of 2050 scenarios that will form the basis for debates the following day. On the second day, a larger group of public- and private-sector leaders from the MENA region and worldwide will explore the scenarios, identify the ones most likely to occur, and pinpoint opportunities for land use, real estate and urban development. A strategic agenda will be developed from this to provide attendees with a framework for building a land use legacy of long-term value and sustainability.
Among the MENA 2050 program topics:
• Global Demographics Driving Demand
• The Future is a Matter of Choice, Not Chance
• Developing Clusters, Developing Cities
• Setting the Stage for the MENA Region by Looking Back
• MENA Design and Development Drivers and Scenarios
• Planning, Evolving Technology and the Quest for Sustainability
• Technology, Environment and Infrastructure: Risk or Opportunity
• Making 2050 A Reality Today
• The Way Forward
The January roundtables informing the March summit will be facilitated by Kistler, ULI MENA Executive Director Shahswar Al Balushi and Uwe Brandes, Vice President of ULI’s Initiatives Group. “The roundtables have been designed specifically for real estate development professionals in both the public and private sectors who want to share their land use expertise and perspectives,” Al Balushi said. “These very timely events will shape MENA 2050, and the program will further solidify ULI’s involvement in the Middle East.”
“MENA 2050 is illustrative of ULI’s ongoing commitment to sustainable communities worldwide,” Brandes said. “Cities around the world are grappling with urban growth issues related to achieving economic stability, environmental preservation and social equity. We will be examining the implications of these issues for cities in the Middle East, in terms of being global leaders in land use.”
The January events and March real estate summit mark the beginning of an ongoing series of activities by ULI MENA to promote leadership, initiate research and define best case outcomes for land use in the MENA region. The initiative aims to engage multi-disciplinary stakeholders through dedicated research clubs, additional roundtable discussions and other events culminating in the establishment of a ULI MENA Research Center. The goal of the Center will be to create a framework for industry and community leaders to help shape thriving, sustainable communities.
