Power of youth to push better urban future

Staff Reporter

Muscat, Oct 1

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning unveiled the fourth edition of Urban October, the largest event in the urban planning and housing sector in Oman, during a press conference in Muscat on Tuesday. The event coincides with the Home and Building Exhibition 2024, set to take place from October 7 to 9 at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The conference will focus on four key areas: Youth Contribution, Entertainment in Cities, Inspirational Cities, and Future Projects. It will host over 40 international and local speakers, with 40 working papers presented and more than eight panel discussions held.

An accompanying exhibition will feature 42 local and regional entities, showcasing future city projects such as Sultan Haitham City, the Downtown Khuwair Project, the Greater Muscat Master Plan, and integrated residential neighborhoods. The exhibition will also highlight the latest innovations and services in the housing and urban planning sectors, as well as financing services for purchasing and owning properties in these future city projects and integrated neighborhoods. Additionally, it will present development projects across Oman’s governorates and exceptional planning projects by university and college students.

The conference, themed "Engaging Youth for a Better Urban Future," coincides with key United Nations events in October, including World Habitat Day, World Cities Day, and World Architecture Day. It highlights the importance of empowering youth and involving them in the urban planning process, promoting their role as contributors to building sustainable and modern cities. Their innovative and creative ideas will help develop integrated urban environments, strengthening their sense of belonging and responsibility toward their communities.

The conference aims to raise awareness about the importance of sustainable urban planning and engage both youth and the community in the urban development process. It will showcase Oman’s real estate and planning projects, offering an opportunity for exchanging ideas and best practices in urban planning. Additionally, it will highlight international experiences and promote collaboration between the public and private sectors.

As part of Urban October, the Basmat competition will be launched at Sultan Haitham City, aligning with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tariq’s vision of involving youth and encouraging their innovative and creative contributions to shaping Oman’s future. The competition aims to engage youth in creating diverse imprints in architecture, arts, technology, environment, culture, and society in Sultan Haitham City, which is envisioned as a city for all and a legacy for the future.

In this regard, Jamal al Hadi, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, said: “ Urban October this year comes with the ambition to involve our youth in creating a better urban future, providing a platform for fostering new ideas that align with the aspirations of our future projects. We believe in strengthening partnerships at all levels to achieve these goals, taking into account the needs of young people and drawing from their knowledge and experience to find solutions that lead to more innovative projects. We are taking steps with them through creating investment opportunities for entrepreneurs by supporting SMEs through the Elevator Pitch competition, launching the Basmat competition to create innovative imprints in Sultan Haitham City, and the Urban Planning Hackathon (City Challenge) for developing a technological product with a team of video game developers and urban planners to serve future city planning.” The fourth edition of the Urban Planning Hackathon will be held under the theme "City Challenge," offering a new and exciting challenge by designing a video game focused on future city planning. Participants will address one of three main topics: Cities for People, Sustainability, and Green Infrastructure. These themes reflect the core pillars of urban development and provide a platform for creative minds to build interactive, future-focused landscapes while considering societal and environmental impacts.

To further empower and enhance SME participation, the Elevator Pitch competition will be launched in collaboration with the SME Authority. The competition provides entrepreneurs with the opportunity to present innovative ideas in fields such as entertainment, community services, real estate, or commerce. These ideas should be feasible within the integrated residential neighborhood projects. A specialized committee will evaluate the proposals, and the winning projects will be announced during the event. This competition aims to support SMEs in contributing to the development of integrated residential neighborhoods.

The conference will also witness the signing of partnership agreements for Sultan Haitham City, usufruct contracts for various developmental projects across Oman’s governorates, and agreements for purchasing social housing projects.