The College of City and Regional Planning (CCRP) at the University of Duhok (UOD) is pleased to announce an upcoming international seminar and workshop titled "Building Kurdistan's Future: Lessons from Sweden on Human-Centered Planning, Cultural Heritage, and Urban Quality." We cordially invite all UOD faculty members, planning practitioners, researchers, and students to attend this significant academic event. The seminar and workshop are planned to be given by will be presented by Dr. Karim Najar from Karlstad University, Sweden.

• The seminar, to be conducted on Monday, July 6, 2026 at the Peshmerga Hall (Student Center), University of Duhok, will focus extensively on practical examples from Swedish cities, exploring how they successfully implement modern planning laws, adopt human-centered planning approaches and establish architectural standards and urban environments, that protect local identity and cultural heritage.

• The workshop, planned to take place for 3 days, from Tuesday, July 7 to Thursday, July 9, 2026, at the Department of City Planning at the College of City and Regional Planning, will bridge theory with practice, the seminar will present a series of evaluation matrices that can help identify current deficiencies and provide practical guidance for improving planning policies and development standards. These tools could support decision-makers in creating healthier, more sustainable, and better-functioning cities.
  Attendees will be introduced to effective urban research methods, advanced analytical matrices, and evaluation frameworks specifically designed to support undergraduate and postgraduate students in developing and structuring their future thesis projects.

It is worth mentioning that this event reflects the University of Duhok’s ongoing commitment to fostering international academic collaboration and enhancing the analytical capabilities of the planning community.

Your presence would greatly honor us as we explore advanced paths toward sustainable regional development together.

We look forward to welcoming you.