Bethlehem, June 13, 2013 – Within the activities of the Sustainable Planning as a Tool to Promote Dialogue and Cooperation between Palestinian in the West Bank and Arab Towns beyond the Green Line, the Applied Research Institute- Jerusalem (ARIJ) conducted educational lecture about Physical planning challenges and future options in Bethlehem district".
The educational lecture was given by Dr. Nael Salman; an experienced architect, urban and infrastructure planner, and Mayor of the city Beit Jala – Bethlehem. The lecturer was attended by representative of local governmental and private institutions in addition to the projects working group from Bethlehem Governorate. The aim of the educational lecture was to raise the audiences awareness regarding the relationship between planning status and sustainability in Bethlehem district.
Dr. Jad Isaac, General Director of ARIJ started the educational lecture highlighting the importance of such project for Bethlehem and Nazareth as the targeted areas in this project and the importance of cooperation between the Palestinians in West Bank and the Arab towns beyond Green Line especially in the fields of sustainable development.
Dr. Nael Salman began the educational lecture with general information about Bethlehem Governorate, and then he tackled the development and planning challenges. Housing sector and the main facts that influenced the settlement typologies and architectural character and he ending the session with the sustainable development proposed scenarios and strategies in Bethlehem district.
The education lecture was concluded by a general groups discussion between the participants about what is need and what to do for the sustainable development in Bethlehem district.
The Project titled “Sustainable Planning as a Tool to Promote Dialogue and Cooperation between Palestinian in the West Bank and Arab Towns beyond the Green Line project” is funded by the European Union (EU) and is a joint project between the Applied Research Institute- Jerusalem (ARIJ) and the Arab Center for Alternative Planning (ACAP). The overall objective of the project is to share experiences between professionals and experts in planning and development from Nazareth and Bethlehem as project targeted area, in addition engage in dialogue on sustainable planning processes, and work together to develop a Sustainable Planning Guidelines Document.
The project targeted municipalities in Bethlehem Governorate are: Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala, Al Khader and Al-doha, meanwhile in Nazareth from the Arab Towns beyond the green line.