Abu Dhabi-based university students will be collaborating this month in developing small-scale, implementable projects with a focus on the Abu Dhabi 2030 Urban Structure Framework Plan, a vision to optimize the city’s development through a 25-year program of urban evolution issued by the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council (UPC). Sila Connection, the first student-led organization that brings university students together across Abu Dhabi to tackle local issues, will host the second annual Sila Abu Dhabi conference from November 22-23.

From the 122 aspiring student applicants from eight local universities, only 60 delegates were chosen to participate. The selected students from Abu Dhabi University, Higher Colleges of Technology, Khalifa University, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), Petroleum Institute, Paris Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi (PSUAD), and Zayed University represent 34 nationalities. These students will be placed into teams to create an environment of interscholastic and multicultural cooperation designed to expose students to different perspectives. In these teams, they will take on the challenge to find meaningful, viable solutions to how Arab culture can be best represented amidst the booming development of Abu Dhabi, focusing specifically on urban design and culture and identity in Plan Abu Dhabi 2030. The teams will compete to win up to USD 5,000 from the NYUAD Institute to execute their projects.

Current Director of Sila Abu Dhabi and NYUAD sophomore Hussein Karzoumi said, “We believe the theme of this year’s conference will enable participants to investigate a variety of issues relevant to the local community, as a result enhancing our collaboration with local stakeholders and attracting a broader and more diverse student population than we did at our inaugural conference.”

Students will receive guidance from speakers and experts relating to development in the UAE. Speakers include H.E. Falah Al Ahbabi, general manager of the UPC, and Mohamed Al Awadhi and Peyman Al Awadhi, presidents of the People’s Republic of Wild Peeta. Professionals from fields relating to urban development will assist in mentoring the teams in the development of their ideas. This advisory board will consist of Mable So, senior associate from Gensler; Dr. Jacob Schmutz, professor at PSUAD; Dr. Yasser El-Sheshtawy, professor at United Arab Emirates University; Dr. Khaled Al Awadi, professor at Masdar Institute; and a UPC representative. Each team will present a final project pitch to a panel of judges from Masdar Institute, UPC, Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation, and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community Development. The group with the most sustainable, marketable, and viable proposal will receive up to USD 5,000 to implement their idea.

The public is invited to see the final work of these students at Sila Abu Dhabi’s closing ceremony, which will be held at the InterContinental Abu Dhabi on November 23 at 6:30pm. The winning team will also be announced at this event. For more information, visit www.silaconnection.com; to RSVP, visit http://nyuad.nyu.edu/news-events/abu-dhabi-events.html.

Sila Connection is a student-led initiative that was established in 2012 to encourage collaboration between local university students and professionals in developing sustainable and viable solutions to current issues in their local communities.

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