Seminar on “Sustainable Urbanization: Zone Development Transformation and Innovation for Future Cities Driven by Industrial Parks” Successfully Held in Cairo, Egypt

At 9:00 AM local time on November 11, 2024, the Department of Architecture at the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University, and the International Research Center for Sustainable Industrial Park Development and Planning at Southeast University jointly hosted the seminar on “Sustainable Urbanization: Zone Development Transformation and Innovation for Future Cities Driven by Industrial Parks” in Cairo, Egypt.

As an academic event aligned with national key projects supported by the National Social Science Fund and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the seminar aimed to foster international collaboration and exchange while exploring how high-quality development of industrial parks can drive sustainable urban transformation and innovation.

Distinguished attendees included H.E. Aly El-Hefny, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, former Ambassador to China, and Vice President of the Egypt-China Friendship Association; Lu Chunsheng, Minister Counsellor for Education and Science at the Chinese Embassy in Egypt; Professor Mohamed M. Alattar, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University; Professor Emad A. Elsherbin, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University; Dr. Heidi Bayoumy, Director of the Scholarships and Projects Office at the International Relations Office, Cairo University; Shi Nan, Executive Vice President and Secretary-General of the Urban Planning Society of China (via video); Mostafa Mourad, General Manager of Eco-Green; and Professor Ali Shaban H. Abdelhamid from An-Najah National University in Palestine, alongside other Chinese and Egyptian experts.

Professor Mohsen M. Aboulnaga, from the Department of Architecture at Cairo University, UNESCO Inclusive Policy Lab expert, and collaborator on the Cairo University-Southeast University Academic Partnership Agreement, served as the chair of the seminar. Professor Wang Xingping, Director of the International Research Center for Sustainable Industrial Park Development and Planning at Southeast University, acted as the co-chair.

The seminar featured opening remarks, keynote speeches, and thematic forums.

The Chair and Co-chair Jointly Presided over the Seminar

Part One: Opening Ceremony

During the opening ceremony, distinguished guests delivered speeches, including H.E. Aly El-Hefny; Minister Counsellor Lu Chunsheng;Dr. Mohamed M. Alattar; Dr.Emad A. Elsherbin; Dr. Shi Nan (via video); Dr. Heidi Bayoumy; Eng. Mostafa Mourad, and Prof. Wang Xingping.

H.E. Aly El-Hefny highlighted the deep-rooted friendship between Egypt and China, expressed his recognition of the seminar's theme, and conveyed his support and expectations for deepened cooperation in this field. Minister Counsellor Lu Chunsheng highly praised the achievements of Sino-Egyptian collaboration and emphasized the seminar’s vital role in advancing cultural and educational cooperation and fostering sustainable urban development between the two countries.

On behalf of the Urban Planning Society of China, Dr. Shi Nan extended congratulations and support for the seminar. Dr. Heidi Bayoumy described the event as a significant milestone in bilateral cooperation and expressed her hope to explore joint teaching, scholar exchanges, and collaborative research based on the seminar’s outcomes.

Prof. Wang Xingping expressed gratitude to the participating guests and experts in his speech and shared his aspirations for further bilateral and open international collaboration in driving sustainable urbanization through industrial parks.

· H.E. Aly El-Hefny, Former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, Former Ambassador to China, and Vice President of the Egypt-China Friendship Association, Delivered a Speech (Left)

· Lu Chunsheng, Counselor for Education and Science at the Embassy of China in Egypt, Delivered a Speech (Right)

· Professor Emad A. Elsherbin, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University, Delivered a Speech (Left)

· Professor Mohamed M. Alattar, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at Cairo University, Delivered a Speech (Right)

· Shi Nan, Executive Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Urban Planning Society, Delivered a Speech via Video (Left)

· Dr. Heidi Bayoumy, Director of the Scholarships and Programs Office at the International Relations Office of Cairo University, Delivered a Speech (Right)

· Eng. Mostafa Mourad, General Manager of Eco-Green, Delivered a Speech (Left)

· Professor Wang Xingping, Director of the International Cooperation Research Center for Sustainable Industrial Park Development and Planning at Southeast University, Delivered a Speech (Right)

Part II: Keynote Speeches

The keynote speech session was chaired by Prof. Wang Xingping, Co-Chair of the seminar and Director of the International Research Center for Sustainable Industrial Park Development and Planning at Southeast University.

Prof. Mohsen M. Aboulnaga from Cairo University presented a report titled “Towards 15-Minute Cities: Exploring the Potential of the New Capital City.” He discussed the current development, challenges, and achievements of Cairo’s New Administrative Capital while exploring the potential application of the 15-minute city concept in this context.

Prof. Ali-Shaban H. Abdelhamid from An-Najah National University delivered a report titled “Urban Planning Policies, Mechanisms, and Their Role in a Sustainable Urban Land Management in the State of Palestine.” Using Palestine as a case study, he analyzed urban planning policies and mechanisms, along with corresponding land management strategies, to evaluate their effectiveness and shortcomings under the framework of sustainable development.

Prof. Wang Xingping from Southeast University presented a keynote speech titled “A Comparative Study on the Development of China-Egypt Capital-Adjacent New Cities: An Analysis Based on Xiong’an New Area and New Cairo.” His presentation introduced the cases of Xiong’an New Area and New Cairo, comparing their development philosophies, functional positioning, and economic indicators. He also discussed the role of industrial parks in supporting the development models of capital-adjacent new cities.

Part III: Thematic Forums

The thematic forums were divided into two sessions. The first session was chaired by Prof. Mohsen M. Aboulnaga from Cairo University. Scholars exchanged ideas on topics such as “Urbanization for Livable Cities,” “Innovation and Sustainable Development of International Cities in the Context of Globalization,” and “The Role of Industrial Parks in Promoting Renewable Urban Development.”

During this session, Dr. Chen Xiao and Dr. Zhao Shengbo, postdoctoral researchers from Prof. Wang Xingping’s team at Southeast University, explored the theoretical frameworks for evaluating industrial parks and planning standards. Ph.D. candidate Peng Siwei reviewed a decade of research and development in urban and rural planning under the Belt and Road Initiative. Ph.D. candidate Lu Yufei analyzed strategies for addressing environmental vulnerability in regions like Shenzhen and Guizhou, China. From Professor Aboulnaga’s team, Prof. Fatma H. Ashour assessed sustainable development in the Suez region, Prof. Sahar A. Attia discussed the role of eco-industrial parks in macro-level investment strategies. Dr. Nahla N. Makhlouf and Dr. Radwa S. Tawfik studied sustainable urban development and historic preservation using Egypt’s Western Desert as a case study.

The second session was chaired by Prof. Dong Wei from Southeast University. Scholars exchanged views on topics such as “Urbanization for Livable Cities” and “Sustainable Development with Emphasis on Heritage Management.” Prof. Dong Wei delivered a presentation titled “Integrated Heritage Conservation amid Rapid and Large-Scale Urbanization.” Dr. Sara Gouda and Dr. Hoda E. Elhalaby from Cairo University discussed challenges and strategies related to architectural heritage and urban water resource regeneration. Dr. Maryam M. Elsharkawy introduced the application of digital technologies in heritage conservation. Additionally, Gao Han, a graduate student from Southeast University, conducted a comparative analysis of the history and characteristics of garden city planning in Africa.

At the conclusion of the thematic forums, Prof. Mohsen M. Aboulnaga summarized the seminar, expressed his gratitude, and presented certificates to speakers, hosts, and organizing staff.

The successful conclusion of this seminar has significantly advanced collaboration projects between Cairo University and Southeast University, providing a solid foundation for future international cooperation in the fields of sustainable urban and industrial park development and planning.

Before the seminar, Prof. Wang Xingping and his team from Southeast University met with participating guests and engaged in discussions with the leadership of Cairo University’s Faculty of Engineering regarding the implementation of the inter-university cooperation agreement.

Professor Wang Xingping, Professor Mohamed M. Elattar (Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University), and Professor Emad A. Elsherbiny (Vice Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Cairo University) Pose for a Group Photo

Source：<https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/PjdaQnMTeEw0rWtwzceZTw>

Editor & Translator: LU Yufei