Arab Cities Urban Living Lab

The Arab Cities Urban Living Lab is a collaborative program that brings together municipalities, researchers, and practitioners to tackle urban development challenges through applied research. It implements pilot projects in cities concerned withgenerating context-driven insights and testing innovative solutions on the ground.

The Lab also acts as a regional platform for applied research, innovation, and knowledge exchange on sustainable urban development across Arab cities. Among its flagship initiatives is “Supporting Green Activities in Selected Arab Cities– Neighborhoods’ Participatory Greening”, funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. The project advances scalable, community-driven solutions and promotes participatory approaches to urban greening in the region.

As a key outcome of the Arab Cities Urban Living Lab, three pilot projects were implemented in selected neighborhoods across Arab cities: Al-Kherba in Tunis (Tunisia), Tla al-Ali in Amman (Jordan), and Sabkha in Nouakchott (Mauritania). Each site serves as a testing ground for participatory greening approaches over a four-year period starting in March 2024.

Implementation is structured around three core action packages:

Action Package 1 – The Neighborhood Green Lung:

This component focuses on converting a neglected or underused site (around 500 m²) into a green public space that enhances the local microclimate and supports public health. The transformation is delivered through targeted urban greening interventions, co-designed, implemented, and maintained with the active involvement of residents, local organizations, and private sector partners.

Action Package 2 – Green Tactical Interventions:

This package engages residents and local associations in activating, planting, and maintaining multiple small and often neglected spaces within neighborhoods. These spaces may be developed as “Miyawaki forests,” an intensive planting method using native trees and plants that requires minimal maintenance. The approach also utilizes sidewalks, building facades, and other street-facing areas for urban greening, with strong community participation in both implementation and upkeep.

Action Package 3 – Training and Knowledge Dissemination:

This package focuses on capacity building and knowledge sharing. It includes the development of training materials and the enhancement of municipal staff skills in the technical and administrative aspects of planning and implementing green projects. It also involves producing reports that document and analyze global, regional, and local best practices, and disseminating them through the “Arab Urban Development Portal.” In addition, the package supports the publication of specialized analytical reports on participatory greening experiences at global, regional, and local levels, including key reference reports as follows:

Publications

Arab Cities Urban Living Lab

Participatory Greening: International Experiences

60 URBAN GREENING PROJECTS

Neighborhoods Participatory Greening in Arab Cities