The 4th edition of Urban October Conference and Home & Building Expo is set to kick off next Monday at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre, focusing on sustainable urban planning and involving youth and the community in the urban development process. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning revealed this during a press conference, stating that the event will showcase real estate and planning projects in Oman, exchange ideas and best practices in urban planning, and present successful international experiences. The conference will discuss four main themes and host over 40 international and local speakers, review 40 working papers, and hold more than 8 dialogue sessions to exchange expertise and successful experiences.
The theme of the conference this year is “Engaging youth to create a better urban future”, aligning with the United Nations’ activities in October, including World Habitat Day, World Cities Day, and World Architecture Day. The emphasis on youth aims to empower them in the urban planning process, allowing them to contribute to building sustainable and modern cities with creative and innovative ideas. An exhibition will also be held on the sidelines of the conference, with 42 local and GCC entities participating, showcasing prominent future city projects and hosting influential speakers from international architectural and consulting firms, along with delegations from international governmental bodies, engineers, city planners, and decision-makers.
As part of the conference activities, the “footprints” or “Basmat Competition” will be launched for the Sultan Haitham City Project, engaging ambitious youth in developing a better urban future and generating investment opportunities for entrepreneurs and SMEs. The Urban Planning Hackathon, under the theme “City Challenge”, will focus on designing a video game that emphasizes planning future cities, incorporating elements of cities for humans, sustainability, and green infrastructure. Additionally, the “Elevator Pitch” competition in partnership with ASMED will allow entrepreneurs to present innovative ideas for integrated residential neighborhoods projects, with winning projects to be announced.
The conference will also include the signing of partnership agreements at Sultan Haitham City, usufruct contracts across development sectors in different governorates, and purchase agreements for social housing projects. The event targets community members, students, interested parties, and the general community, with over 65 events planned on the sidelines. Urban October Conference provides an opportunity to exchange international expertise in urban planning, review pioneering future projects and innovative urban practices, enhance cooperation between public and private sectors, and maximize investment opportunities for real estate developers, reinforcing Oman’s position as a leading investment destination.
