The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), the Regional Environment Department of Agadir, Agadir Prefecture, Agadir Municipality, and Ibn Zohr University in Morocco held a coordination meeting to explore the arrangements for organizing an international symposium on smart and resilient sustainable cities on June 3-4, 2021. The parties discussed holding the meeting face-to-face and via videoconferencing, in Agadir, Morocco, in celebration of the World Environment Day (observed on June 5).

ICESCO took part in the meeting via videoconference, on May 5, 2021, and was represented by Dr. Muhammad Sharif, Adviser at the Sector of Science and Technology, and Dr. Foued El-Ayni, Expert at the Sector. Dr. Mohammad Alaoui, Head of the Department of Natural and Exact Sciences at the UNESCO Maghreb Office represented UNESCO, while Dr. Najat Zarrouk, Director of the Development Pole and the African Local Governments Academy (ALGA), represented UCLG.

Dr. Mohamed Saidi from Mohamed V University in Rabat, Ms. Khadija Sami, Regional Director of Environment of the Souss Massa Region, Mr. Ahmad Sharmata, President of the Environment Department at Agadir Prefecture, Ms. Laila Ouabaali, Head of the Department of Environment Protection at Agadir City Council, and Prof. Dr. Abdelhamid Al-Mussadaq, Vice President of Ibn Zohr University in Charge of Scientific Research attended the meeting.

Participants in the meeting discussed the possibility of implementing field awareness-raising activities on June 5, in cooperation with the civil society, organizations and other stakeholders, in a bid to contribute to the global efforts to protect the environment, raise awareness of environmental issues and ensure a better future for the next generations.

At the close of the meeting, the parties agreed to pool efforts to allocate all logistic resources to ensure the success of the symposium, held as part of the celebration of Agadir as the Islamic World Environmental Capital for 2020-2021 and the celebration of World Environment Day, that Pakistan will host this year, under the slogan “Restoring the Ecosystem.” The celebration of World Environment Day aims to raise environmental awareness across the globe and shed light on pressing and current environmental issues.