On Friday, 30 October 2026, the international scientific symposium titled “Moroccan Cities and the Challenges of Climate Resilience” concluded in Rabat. The two-day event was organized by the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), in cooperation with the École Normale Supérieure (ENS) and the National Institute of Planning and Urbanism (INAU), to mark World Cities Day.

During the Symposium, Dr. Yergaliyev Kuanysh, Head of ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector, delivered an opening address highlighting the shared urban challenges countries face despite their different geographical, social, and economic contexts. He further stressed that environmental crises underscore the importance of planning, governance, and the responsible use of modern technologies.

Dr. Kuanysh also reviewed ICESCO’s efforts to advance sustainable urban development across its Member States under the “Strategy for Smart Sustainable Cities in the Islamic World,” adopted at the 9th Conference of Environment Ministers in the Islamic World, held in Jeddah in October 2023.

The Symposium program featured a session titled “Resilient, Smart, and Sustainable Cities in the Islamic World: Knowledge, Practice, and Cross-Border Cooperation,” moderated by Dr. Sabih Anwar, Deputy Head of the Science and Environment Sector, and Dr. Adel Smeda, Expert in the Sector. Participants discussed the principles and policies of urban resilience and sustainability, as well as opportunities to strengthen urban cooperation across the Islamic world. Dr. Fahman Fathurrahman, Expert in the Sector, also delivered a presentation on the “ICESCO Smart and Sustainable Urban Network,” which aims to foster cooperation among cities, living laboratories, experts, and research institutions in Member States.