Birzeit University and the Belgian Development Agency Enable Sign an Agreement to Promote Sustainable Urban Planning in Palestine

December 11, 2024 - the Department of Architectural Engineering and Planning at Birzeit University signed a cooperation agreement with the Belgian Development Agency (ENABEL) to implement a project entitled “Palestinian-Belgian Academic Cooperation in Sustainable Urban Planning in Palestine”. The project runs for two years with financial support from the Belgian government and the contribution of the Brussels metropolitan area, in cooperation with KU Leuven and the Palestinian Ministry of Local Governorate.

The agreement was signed by Dr. Talal Shahwan, President of Birzeit University, and Christelle Jocquet, Director of the Belgian Development Agency, in the presence of Dr. Ahmad Alsadeh, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Dr. May Sayrafi, Head of the Department of Architecture and Planning, Dr. Manal Al Bishawi, Project Coordinator, Serene Jamous, Intervention Manager at the Belgian Development Agency, and local government expert Uday Al-Jaabari.

The project comes within the framework of the “Green West Bank” program run by the Belgian Development Agency, with the aim of promoting a circular green economy and reducing the environmental footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. The project focuses on the role of architecture and urban planning in achieving resilient sustainable development and addressing climate challenges.

The collaboration involves strengthening the capacity of academic staff at Birzeit University's Department of Architecture and Planning, and developing localized planning tools and innovative approaches to designing public spaces that support sustainability, circularity, and active citizenship.

The project is led by a team from Birzeit University including Dr. Manal Bishawi, Dr. Alessandra Gola, and Dr. Abdalrahman Kittana, in collaboration with the University of Leuven team consisting of Dr. Bruno de Mulder and Dr. Kelly Shannon, as well as teams from the Belgian Development Agency and Ministry of Local Governorate. Dr. Bruno de Mulder and Dr. Kelly Shannon, in addition to teams from the Belgian Development Agency and the Ministry of Local Government. The collaboration between Birzeit University and KU Leuven spans more than ten years, supported by a memorandum of understanding signed in 2016.