Urban Co Production A Joint Session between the Hariri Foundation and Beirut Arab University

The Hariri Foundation – National State Academy, in partnership with Beirut Arab University’s Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment, organized a joint session under the title “Urban Co-Production” at the Academy’s headquarters in Saida. The event was held within the framework of the program “Strategic Urban Planning and Local Policies.”

The session explored avenues of collaboration between academic, research, private, and civil society institutions with local authorities and the public sector in the field of Urban Co-Production, aiming to develop participatory and innovative development solutions that respond to ongoing urban transformations.

Participants included Mrs. Bahia Hariri, President of the Hariri Foundation, and Professor Hassan Abdel Salam, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment at BAU, along with Saida’s Mayor, Engineer Mostafa Hijazi, members of the municipal council, local stakeholders, Dr. Rouba Abou Zainab, Executive Director of the Hariri Foundation, and the Foundation’s team. From BAU, attendees included Professor Sobhi Abou Shahine, Dean of Academic Affairs and International Relations, Professor Hania Al Nakkash, Dean of Graduate Studies and Research Projects, Mrs. Zina Ariss, Director of Public Relations and Communications, as well as faculty members and students from the Faculty of Architecture.

Speaking on behalf of the National State Academy, Engineer Mohammad Hariri, Director of Research and Development at the Hariri Foundation, emphasized that the program reflects the Academy’s mission to strengthen active citizenship by developing participatory mechanisms that place academic and civic work at the core of urban governance.

In her remarks, Mrs. Bahia Hariri highlighted the Foundation’s longstanding commitment since its establishment to empowering Lebanese citizens in achieving sustainable human development and fostering national identity through partnerships among civil society, academia, and modern state institutions. She traced the Foundation’s decades-long collaboration with BAU, including scholarships, dialogue platforms, and applied research exchange, in addition to joint initiatives with the Faculty of Architecture on studies and heritage restoration projects in Old Saida. Hariri affirmed that this session marks the beginning of a renewed path of cooperation serving the city’s present and future.

Professor Hassan Abdel Salam, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture – Design and Built Environment at BAU, described the partnership with the Hariri Foundation as one that has yielded tangible outcomes reflecting collaboration, innovation, knowledge-sharing, and a shared commitment to shaping forward-looking policies for cities and urban communities.

The session also featured presentations by Dr. Hiba Mohsen, Assistant Dean of the Faculty, who showcased the capabilities and initiatives of the Faculty’s Urban Lab, and Engineer Jihad Al-Akkoum, Coordinator of the Strategic Urban Planning and Local Policies program at the National State Academy, who outlined the program’s goals, training components, and the Urban Sustainability Workshop held with the participation of 15 students.

Concluding the event, BAU students presented proposed design projects for several neighborhoods and streets in Saida, focusing on three themes: inclusive and smart cities, nature-positive cities, and active and vibrant cities. The presentations were followed by an open discussion with attendees and contributions from participants.