AUC Hosts Egypt's First World Urban Campaign Assembly

Held in Egypt for the first time, AUC is hosting the UN-Habitat’s biennial World Urban Campaign Assembly on November 6, featuring researchers, academics, students, urban planners, policymakers and NGOs who will engage in discussions on the future of urban planning. Watch the event’s livestream. 

“AUC’s selection to host this event signifies an acknowledgement of the role and weight of our institution as an anchor point to lead future sustainable urbanization in Egypt and the region,” said Momen El-Husseiny, assistant professor of architecture and co-organizer of the World Urban Campaign Assembly at AUC. “This selection came after the outstanding efforts of our faculty, researchers and students in tackling urban issues during the Egypt Urban Campaign over the past year.” 

El-Husseiny will moderate and present panels on a range of topics such as AUC’s role as a catalyst for urban transformation in New Cairo and downtown, micromobility infrastructures, the impact of gated communities and how proximity can help alleviate social inequalities by ensuring that services are accessible to all residents in urban areas.

The event will include as well as a conference held in collaboration with Sorbonne University in Paris, featuring faculty from AUC and 13 other universities worldwide to discuss the Global Observatory of Sustainable Proximities. French mayor Jean-Michel-Perret will be among the conference attendees. 

“AUC’s selection to host this event signifies an acknowledgement of the role and weight of our institution as an anchor point to lead future sustainable urbanization in Egypt and the region.”

The day will culminate in a public talk by Carlos Moreno, associate professor at the Sorbonne and author of The 15-Minute City, a people-first approach that is being implemented in global cities such as Paris, Milan and Buenos Aires. 

The World Urban Campaign Assembly is held in tandem with the World Urban Forum, where AUC faculty from various disciplines, including architecture and graphic design, will present talks. AUC alumni will also participate in panel discussions. These include Egypt’s Minister of Finance Ahmed Kouchouk ’99; Egypt’s Minister of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation Rania Al-Mashat ’95; journalist Shahira Amin ’78 and Yuriko Koike (ALU ’71), Tokyo’s first female governor.

Bahia Shehab (MA ’09), professor of practice in graphic design, will present a talk at the panel titled, A Space for All, “I will explore the significance of digital and physical public spaces as centers of cultural expression, emphasizing how art and culture can bring communities together,” said Shehab. “I will also discuss my public art installations Pyramids of Garbage (2020) and Heaven and Hell in the Anthropocene (2022) exhibited at COP27, as well as my ongoing street art project At the Corner of a Dream, where I have painted verses by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish in 16 cities around the world, from Hawaii to Tokyo.”

In addition, as part of the World Urban Forum, AUC architecture students actively participated in the Habitat UNI Booth held on November 5, where select universities from around the globe showcased their work in urban sustainability, presenting their research and solutions to address urban issues and challenges. At the booth, AUC students and faculty presented videos, posters and research projects covering issues related to sustainable urban development and climate crisis in education. The students highlighted their Cairo Bike project in downtown Cairo, design-and-build sustainable earth construction in Siwa, and the use of AI and spatial simulation in urban design studios.

“I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the World Urban Forum 12, representing my department and all the initiatives that we’ve been part of over the years!” 

Here’s what three architecture seniors had to say about the Habitat UNI Booth: 

“Presenting at the UNI Booth at the World Urban Forum was an intense ride — challenging yet electrifying! However, the boost of confidence that suddenly came into the three of us as we were presenting turned every hurdle into a confidence boost and propelled our work into the spotlight on a global stage."

Mariam Bechir
Architecture Senior
President, AUC's student-led Architecture Association

"I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to be part of the World Urban Forum 12, representing my department and all the initiatives that we’ve been part of over the years."

Jana Gaafar
Architecture Senior
Vice President, AUC's student-led Architecture Association

“Showcasing the multiple initiatives of our department in an event as big as the World Urban Forum was an honor! It’s finally getting the attention and exposure it deserves.”

Rita Gabriel 
Architecture Senior

Nabil