A workshop bringing together experts from the Damascus Governorate and a delegation from Italy’s University of Venice, in cooperation with the UN Development Program (UNDP), focused on practical steps and defining the general framework for a future vision for the city of Damascus, taking into account its history, culture and living heritage.
The workshop addressed several key themes, including presenting the initial vision, identifying required data and materials, establishing a work schedule and logistics plan, forming a specialized working team, and ensuring the involvement of relevant institutions. The initiative falls within the framework of the Urban Development Program (UDP) for the city of Damascus.
Participants emphasized the importance of Ghouta as a vital green belt that must be preserved and integrated into future planning, as well as the need to prioritize water resources in the reconstruction process. They indicated the core of the proposed architectural model will rely on the orchards of Ghouta surrounding the city, linked through green corridors. The objective is for the furthest point within this network to be reachable within a 25-minute walk.
Developing a Comprehensive Map for a Sustainable Vision
During the workshop’s opening session, Damascus Governor Mahir Idlibi stressed the importance of cooperation between local and international expertise in urban planning. The aim, he said, is to develop a comprehensive and realistic vision for Damascus honoring its history, culture and heritage while bridging its past, present and future.
“Participation in preparing this urban map will be collective, strengthening integrated urban planning for the city of Damascus,” Idlibi said. He acknowledged that current realities pose challenges but affirmed the governorate’s determination to reach the best possible solutions.
Idlibi also praised proposals combining environmental preservation with sustainable development, describing this approach as a necessary step toward balancing heritage protection with modern urban needs.
A Modern Vision for an Ancient Capital
In a statement to Levant24, Maher al-Riz, manager of the Urban Development Programme in Damascus Governorate, described the initiative as a comprehensive project aimed at formulating a long-term vision for the capital’s future.
He said the goal is to transform Damascus into a leading regional city while preserving its status as the world’s oldest continuously inhabited capital. Achieving this, he noted, requires broad partnerships across economic and social sectors, including collaboration between the public and private sectors and engagement with the local community.
Riz identified several key challenges, including attracting qualified professionals to contribute to the project and reconciling a modern urban vision with the city’s high population density, the result of decades of unregulated urban expansion. Time is also a critical factor, he said, as the plan seeks to establish a vision for Damascus through 2045, with particular attention to reconstructing destroyed areas.
Benno Albrecht, dean of the University of Venice’s Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, told Levant24, Damascus’ urban development holds global significance due to its historical continuity. He noted that one of the main challenges lies in preserving the city’s unique architectural identity while drawing lessons from its past to guide future construction. On Oct. 20 of last year, the Damascus Governorate signed strategic cooperation memoranda in the field of sustainable urban planning with UNDP and the University of Venice.
