Problem Statement

Bahrain is among the world’s most highly urbanized countries, with the share of urban population standing at 89.62% in 2021. This makes it especially important to discuss and address issues related to resilient urban planning and sustainable urban development. 

Target Group: Participation was open to the general public.

Proposed Solution: Celebrating Urban October was leveraged as an opportunity to highlight some of the urban challenges which are specifically related to Urban Heritage, Transportation, and Bahrain’s Biodiversity through interactive activities in the month of October in collaboration with UN-Habitat (Bahrain). 

Hub Activities: 

1. In collaboration with Budaiya Hub, a session was delivered by Bnature team, to introduce Bahrain’s first online environment encyclopedia. In addition, a talk was delivered by the Head of UN-Habitat Country Programme. Dr Fernanda Lonardoni on the general state of urban development in Bahrain. 


2. A visit to the Pearling Path in Muharraq, which is one of Bahrain’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was a guided tour that involved discussions on the importance of preserving and activating the historic sites. 


3. A public bus tour to promote sustainable transportation and familiarize participants with the seamless experience of using public transportation in Bahrain.
   

Short & Long-Term Goals/Results: 

The Project marked the start of a collaborative relationship with UN-Habitat to raise awareness on positive urban change and encourage reflection on the challenges to urban life. The events assisted in sharing innovative urban practices and knowledge in Bahrain.

Available Metrics: 

Collectively, 60 participants attended the events, where they had a chance to exchange thoughts and ideas on our surrounding urban environment. It was also an opportunity to meet people from different disciplines and age groups allowing everyone to bring different reflections to the table. All attendees found the activities informative. Majority never used public buses and will consider doing so in group activities.. 

Collaborators: 

Budaiya Hub, Bnature, UN-Habitat (Bahrain) and The Pearling Path