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Empowering Participation: Shaping Public Space in Arab Cities

Exploring Power Relations in Urban Governance through a Collaborative Workshop in Tunisia

Published

27 September 2024

Category

Events

Laura is in Tunisia, representing TSPA in a workshop organized by TU Berlin’s Habitat Unit under the DAAD Ta’ziz Network. This event connects universities from Tunisia, Lebanon, Iraq, Sudan, Jordan, Egypt and Germany to explore Power Relations in Urban Governance: Participation in Public Space of Arab Cities.

The workshop focuses on how different citizen groups use and claim public spaces, addressing critical themes of access, inclusion, and local governance. As part of the expert team, Laura supports students in their research and development of proposals for interventions in public spaces in Al Kherba, Tunis.

During this first round of rapid analysis, participants explored various intervention strategies, including waste and water management, community spaces enhanced by shading, and integrating greenery. These proposals reflect a shared commitment to making urban spaces more sustainable and inclusive.

The initial proposals will be refined and expanded by Tunisian students until December, culminating in a final design proposal for these identified areas as part of their semester project. This collaborative process exemplifies how knowledge exchange and active participation can drive meaningful urban change.

Key outcomes of the workshop include fostering connections between universities and non-university partners, encouraging open discussion, and emphasizing the role of participatory approaches in shaping cities. This work is part of a broader vision of how shared urban spaces can reflect the diverse needs of those who live in them.

Read more about the project here.