The International Conference on Urban Planning and Architectural Design for Sustainable Development was held in the University Of Salento- Lecce Italy.  The conference was chaired by Professor Fabio Pollice (Department Of History, Society and Human Studies, University Del Salento) and organized by IEREK.

The opening session was held at Castello Carlo V, which was opened by a welcoming word from Prof. Vincenzo Zara (Rector of the University del Salento), Prof. Vitantonio Giola (Director of the Department of History, Society and Human Studies), and Prof. Franco Salvatori (President Emeritus of Italian Geographical Society).

It was shortly followed by a word from the Mayor of Lecce Dr. Paolo Perrone. Later on Mr. Mourad Amer (IEREK’s CEO), and Prof. Fabio Pollice (Scientific Coordinator of the Conference), made an introduction about the conference and its delegates, officially starting the conference, and allowing for the plenary sessions to begin.

The plenary sessions titled “The Sustainability of Planning a Critical approach”, and “Historic Centers and Tourism Development: Sustainable Paths” were run by the following professors;

– Prof. Michelangelo RUSSO (President of Italian Urbanist Society – University of Naples “Federico II”)

-Prof. Giandomenico AMENDOLA, sociologist (University of Florence)

-Prof. Mohsen A. B. BAYAD, architect (University of Alexandria)

-Prof. Attilio BELLI, urbanist (University of Naples “Federico II”)

-Prof. Konstantinos MORAITIS, Landscape architect (National Technical University of Athens)

-Prof. Angelo TURCO, geographer (IULM University)

-Chairman: Prof. Fabio POLLICE (University of Salento)

-Sen. Alfonso ANDRIA (President of the European University Centre for Cultural Heritage)

-Dr. Claudio BOCCI (Director of Federculture)

-Arch. Roberta MARASCO (Municipality of Lecce)

-Prof. Nabil MOHAREB (Head of Faculty of Architectural Engineering, Tripoli Branch)

-Arch. Maria PICCARRETA (Overseer, Department for Cultural Heritage)

-Prof. Franco SALVATORI (University of Roma “Tor Vergata”)

Moving on to the parallel sessions which was held at the Monastero Degli Olivetani- Lecce and which was led and moderated by great and reputable professors who were of great help in organizing this conference and its sessions. The topics discussed during the conference are of great interest to Lecce, which led in creating the “Round Table” that consisted of key people in Lecce and the University of Salento, discussing the urban regeneration projects in Lecce which was opened by, Professor Sergio Conti (President of the Italian Geographical Society), and was then discussed by;

-Massimo CRUSI (Architect, President of Architects’ Association, Province of Lecce)

-Gabriella DE GIORGI (Professor of Administrative Law, University of Salento)

-Anna Lucia DENITTO (Professor of Contemporary History, University of Salento)

-Luigi MANIGLIO (Architect, Director of “Planning Sector and Development”, Municipality of Lecce)

-Severo MARTINI (Councilor for Urban Planning, Municipality of Lecce)

-Maria Valeria MININNI (Professor of Urban Planning, University of Basilicata, T.S. PPTR Apulia Region)

-Fabio NASELLI (Professor of Urbanist, University Kore of Enna)

-Maria PICCARRETA (Overseer, Department for Cultural Heritage)

-Anna TRONO (Professor of Geography, University of Salento)

 After the “Round Table” finished their discussion, the conference has moved to the public discussion which had many of the delegates participate into it, with a remarkable not to one of the Authors, Chaham Alalouch, thanking IEREK for its efforts, and also stating that IEREK is the first ever in the middle east to organize such great events. Taking the conference to its summary by MR. Mourad Amer (IEREK’s CEO), and to close the conference with the conclusions by Prof. Fabio POLLICE (Scientific Coordinator of the Conference, University of Salento), and Prof. Angelo TURCO (Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Tourism and Markets, IULM University).

Conference Topics

A wide range of topics was covered by the conference papers, they were grouped into sections, and the conference topics are as follows;

Conference Gala Dinner

Almost all of the delegates and organizers were able to get together during the conference days, at the gala dinner which was organized beforehand, to allow the authors and organizers to get together and discuss the conference.

During the gathering of the delegates at the gala dinner, they were able to discuss many topics of the conference, furthermore, they were able to exchange ideas about their papers and their cultural backgrounds.

The conference’s dinner took place in the Grand Tiziano Hotel at Lecce located near to where the parallel sessions were held, at the Monastero Degli Olivetani- Lecce.

 Publication of Papers

The proceedings of the international conference on “Urban Planning and Architectural Design for Sustainable Development” will be published by ELSEVIER at the Procedia journal “Social and Behavioral Sciences”

The Participants were awarded and internationally recognized certificate from IEREK that they have attended the conference and presented their papers.