CITIES IN ACTION: WEBINAR ON UNLEASHING PROVINCIAL CITIES’ URBAN HERITAGE POTENTIALS: ESNA EXPERIMENT.

The Arab Urban Development Institute organized the fifth webinar in its monthly series, “Cities in Action,” on Tuesday evening, 23 Safar 1446 AH, corresponding to August 27, 2024. The event was attended by several specialists and those interested in urban development and urban transportation issues.

Dr. Abdullah Dhifallah, Professor of Urban Planning and the meeting’s moderator began the session by providing an overview of the “Cities in Action” webinar series. He highlighted the importance of enriching the discussion among experts and stakeholders in urban development across Arab countries. He also stressed that the desired benefit of these meetings lies in identifying pioneering urban development projects and exchanging ideas on success mechanisms and factors.

The discussion started by addressing Esna City and the rehabilitation of urban heritage in developing medium cities. M. Karim Ibrahim, co-founder of “Takween for Integrated Communities Development,” pointed out that the city of Esna is the third historical city in Egypt that extends from the history of ancient Egypt through the Greek, Roman, and Islamic eras until the modern era. The city’s leading economy depends on agricultural activity followed by trade activity, as the city is a commercial center for the surrounding regions.

The Arab Urban Development Institute organized the fifth webinar in its monthly series, “Cities in Action,” on Tuesday evening, 23 Safar 1446 AH, corresponding to August 27, 2024. The event was attended by several specialists and those interested in urban development and urban transportation issues.

Dr. Abdullah Dhifallah, Professor of Urban Planning and the meeting’s moderator began the session by providing an overview of the “Cities in Action” webinar series. He highlighted the importance of enriching the discussion among experts and stakeholders in urban development across Arab countries. He also stressed that the desired benefit of these meetings lies in identifying pioneering urban development projects and exchanging ideas on success mechanisms and factors.

The discussion started by addressing Esna City and the rehabilitation of urban heritage in developing medium cities. M. Karim Ibrahim, co-founder of “Takween for Integrated Communities Development,” pointed out that the city of Esna is the third historical city in Egypt that extends from the history of ancient Egypt through the Greek, Roman, and Islamic eras until the modern era. The city’s leading economy depends on agricultural activity followed by trade activity, as the city is a commercial center for the surrounding regions.

Eng. Karim pointed out that the development plan “Investment in Sustainable and Integrated Tourism in the City of Esna” was assigned to “Takween for the Development of Integrated Communities” by Egypt’s Government, a project funded by the United States Agency for International Development and implemented by his company in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, Luxor Governorate and the Ministry of International Cooperation. He reviewed the objectives of Esna City’s sustainable and integrated tourism investment project, starting with the preservation of a group of tangible and intangible cultural heritage assets in and around the city, the development of high-return tourism products and services that increase the economic benefits to society, enhancing the marketing image of Esna City, and also included a study of cultural tourism value chains.

Eng. Karim discussed urban development programs, starting with the restoration of the Jeddawi Archaeological Agency, the rehabilitation of the Caesarea market, the renovation of the facades of architecturally distinguished buildings, the development of the visiting area of the Khnum Temple, the rehabilitation of Bazaarat Street, the reuse of the royal private rest house and its transformation into a tourist hotel, and the preparation of a detailed plan for Esna City. Through these programs, the city has achieved significant success, with the number of visitors tripling between 2017 and 2019 2017-2019, the most significant growth rate in Egypt’s history. It also received global attention as Esna City won the UNWTO Award for promoting the best sustainable tourism experience in 2023.

He stressed that cultural tourism is thriving based on archaeological monuments, pointing out the importance of continued efforts by the government to preserve this heritage, which will enhance the city’s position, attract tourists, and encourage inhabitants to dwell in those buildings after their rehabilitation.

At the end of the meeting, Dr. Abdullah Dhifallah thanked the attendees for their valuable interaction and participation, praising Eng. Karim Ibrahim for his prominent role in participating in the rehabilitation of urban heritage in developing medium cities. He stressed the importance of continuing these webinars to enhance cooperation and knowledge exchange among experts in urban development.