Overview
Join us in Doha for two days of dialogue, discovery and collaboration focused on advancing sustainability in arid cities. This Forum brings together practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and innovators to exchange practical solutions and shape future priorities for urban resilience in dryland environments.
Through a dynamic program of plenary sessions, roundtable discussions and curated site visits across Doha, participants will experience firsthand how one of the world’s leading arid cities is addressing real-world sustainability challenges with locally grounded, globally relevant solutions.
Discussions will draw from the Forum’s three focus areas: wellbeing, the built environment and the green environment, while also exploring how the network can collectively advocate for arid cities on the global stage and define strategic priorities for the years ahead.
Taking place just one month before the World Urban Forum in May, the timing offers a unique opportunity for participants to build meaningful connections and co-design a joint advocacy platform ahead of the world’s largest gathering on sustainable urbanism.
15+
Sessions
60+
Speakers
200+
Participants
FORUM TOPICS
Wellbeing
- Extreme Heat
- Walkability
- Air Quality
Built Environment
- Traditional urbanism
- Smart solutions to livable cities
- Circularity - water, waste
Green Environment
- Greening
- Urban agriculture
- Coastal Resilience & Habitat conservation
The full program details will be published soon.
JOIN US IN SHAPING THE ARID CITIES OF THE FUTURE
DISCUSS REAL-WORLD SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES WITH ARID CITY LEADERS AND POLICY MAKERS:
- How can we make arid cities more resilient and sustainable?
- How do we maintain and enhance liveability in hot and arid environments?
- How can arid cities adapt best practice examples to their local context?
- What meaningful sustainability lessons can arid cities share and learn from each other?
- How can we leverage traditional knowledge when building the cities of the future?
WHY PARTICIPATE
- Gain insights from real-world practices and lived urban challenges
- Share and discover practical advancements in arid urban sustainability
- Connect with peers through meaningful networking opportunities
- Meet and exchange with international experts, city leaders and practitioners
- Explore Doha through curated site visits showcasing solutions in action
- Join meaningful conversations around the future priorities of arid cities
- Contribute to building an advocacy platform for arid cities ahead of the World Urban Forum in May 2026
ARID CITIES NETWORK PARTNERS AND MEMBERS
The Arid Cities Network is growing through collaboration with cities, institutions and experts committed to advancing sustainability in arid environments.
If your work aligns with this mission and you are interested in contributing or becoming part of the Network, we would be pleased to hear from you.
To explore how you can get involved, please contact Siobhan Patel at acn@earthna.qa