One of the most important world heritage sites, Luxor represents an open field for many types of tourism activities and investment in tourism for the sake of economic and community development. Within the framework of the OurWorldHeritage initiative, themes for the revitalization and development of sustainable architecture and arts tourism in Luxor will be launched to discuss how to develop a work plan to implement projects that are likely to contribute to enriching existing tourism programs and creating new programs in the promising fields of cultural tourism. This undertaking rests on the philosophy of sustainable architecture manifest in New Gournah designed by the renowned Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy in the forties of the twentieth century, which has become one of the most important icons of architecture in the world as a model of green, earth and sustainable architecture in conformity to society and harmony with the environment with an emphasis on the use natural materials and local labor. It is also a tribute to Hassan Fathy’s pioneering effort in linking architecture with development.

This event combines presentations and interviews on Zoom with a face-to-face meeting in New Gourna, located in the periphery of the World Heritage Site of Luxor (Egypt). Through the examination of tourism potentials of the architectural legacy of Hassan Fathy, one of the pioneers of sustainable architecture, the panel discussion will focus on how Hassan Fathy’s New Gourna, as a living example of the application of his philosophy on rural architecture, through the use of local materials (mainly Nile mud), use of local labor and the design of houses and housing blocks on the basis of local social relationships and sound ecological parameters, can promote the SDGs. Other topics for debate are the tourism potential of:

1. Egyptian artistic heritage, featuring artworks, some which are rooted to prehistoric times in the wadis of the Eastern Desert and Gilf el Kebir in the Western Desert to the rich and formidable paintings, sculpture and bas-relief of Ancient Egypt and within the WH Site in Luxor, the tombs of royal painters in Deir el Medina, one of the most remarkable caches of New Kingdom painting — all with subsequent continuity to modern times;

2. Folkloric intangible heritage which at present are underexploited and non-representative. This event aims to introduce innovative tourist itineraries by valorizing local heritage and human resources and to explore collaboration with the hotel and tourism sector in this regard.

Organised with: Prof. Freki Hassan - Professor and Director of Cultural Heritage Management Program at l’Université Française d’Egypte

PROGRAM

The webinar consists of a brief review of Hassan Fathy’s philosophy of sustainable architecture and development, followed by an account of the restoration work that is currently underway in the village of Hassan Fathy in New Gorna, Luxor.

Invited participants (see below) will discuss the following issues the merits, feasibility and logistics of establishing a Center for Sustainable Architecture in Gourna hub for international and national study tours, training courses, workshops and research activities as a means of valorizing the legacy of Hassan. The center will be an attractive destination for promoting New Gourna in the context of cultural tourism supporting local communities in the manner originally envisioned by Hassan Fathy through rural crafts and creative industries and supporting tourist amenities.

Introductory session

• Fekri Hassan: Welcome

• Minja Yang & Maria Gravari-Barbas: OWH initiative

• Minja Yang: President and Professor Emeritus, R. Lemaire Int’l Centre for Conservation, KU Leuven and former Director, former Deputy-Director of World Heritage Center.

• Maria Gravari-Barbas: Professor Maria Gravari-Barbas is the director of the UNESCO Chair “Tourism, Culture, Development” of Paris 1- Sorbonne University.

• Fekri Hassan: Introductory Remarks

• Video: Hassan Fathy – Pioneer of Sustainable Architecture and Development

• Emad Farid - Environmental Quality International: Current UNESCO Restoration Project

Session I International Perspectives on Hassan Fathy and Sustainable Architecture

Moderator:
Mona Rady - Chairperson of UN-HABITAT Professional Forum (HPF)

• Francesco Bandarin - Professor of Urban Planning and Conservation at the University IUAV of Venice. Former Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture.
  ‘UNESCO & Prospects of Hassan Fathy Sustainable Architecture Center’

• Thomas Vonier - FAIA RIBA, President / International Union Of Architects
  ‘IUA perspective on valorization of HF sustainable architecture’

• In-Souk Cho - Architect, VP of ISCARSAH (ICOMOS), Architect, Principal of DaaRee Architects & Associates, Seoul Korea.
  ‘Potential role of Hassan Fathy’s Center for Sustainable Architecture on the restoration of adobe structures’

• Maddalena Achenza
  ‘Prospects of future collaboration, internships and establishment of a National Committee in Egypt’

• Victor Leonel Antonio da Conceição Miguel - President, Africa Union of Architects
  ‘Significance of HF for sustainable Architecture in Africa’

Session II Sustainable Architecture, Community Participation and Tourism

Moderator:
Dalila el Kerdany - Professor of Architecture and Urban Design, Cairo University, CEO Mimar, Commissioner, Architecture Committee, Higher Council of Culture, Egypt.

• May El-Ibrashi - Founder and chair of Egyptian NGO, the Built Environment Collective, an Egyptian ( MEGAWRA), coordinator of Athar Lina Our Heritage Initiative.
  ‘Migarwa case-study of community participation’

• Heba Safei eldin - Professor and Program Coordinator, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Misr International University (MIU), Director, House of Egyptian Architecture
  ‘Egyptian House of Architecture potential role in Hassan Fathy’s Sustainable Architecture Center’

• Maisa Moustafa - Free Lance Tour Guide
  ‘Prospects of Architectural Tourism in Luxor’

• Hassan Refaat - Ph.D., Lecturer, Faculty of Tourism and Hotels, Luxor University
  ‘Faculty of Tourism and Hotels in Luxor potential role in sustainable architecture education’.

Session III General Discussion

Mona Rady: Moderator

Fekri Hassan: Concluding Remarks