DOHA: Qatar Foundation's (QF) Earthna Center for a Sustainable Future announced forming a new partnership, with The King's Foundation – a UK charity founded by HM King Charles III of the United Kingdom – during a function held at the charity's headquarters, Dumfries House, Scotland, in the attendance of Vice Chairperson and CEO of Qatar Foundation HE Sheikha Hind bint Hamad Al Thani.
The partnership will seek to establish four urban development pilot projects around the world that demonstrate how traditional knowledge can guide 21st Century sustainable practices. These projects will take place in India, Guyana, Sierra Leone, and Tanzania.
The two-year collaboration reflects both institutions' shared belief in the importance of traditional knowledge to foster environmental sustainability, drive local economic growth, and build strong and resilient communities.
The four projects, selected to represent traditional sustainability practices in different regions, will demonstrate how cultural heritage can inform architectural design and construction in the face of contemporary challenges, informing sustainable urban planning.
The project in Tanzania will focus on the recognition and restoration of the iconic Zanzibar Doors in the UNESCO World Heritage site Stone Town, and on setting up sustainable timber supply chains. In India, lessons will be learned and shared from Dhun, a development in Jaipur that has restored 500 acres of denuded and degraded land into a thriving ecosystem.
In Guyana, the partnership will support a project to research and develop a demonstration building near restored mangroves in the city of Georgetown's waterfront, using traditional design principles and local materials. The Sierra Leone-based project will test sustainable construction that has been inspired by traditional knowledge while protecting the natural landscapes in the city of Bo, helping to inform urban planning in this rapidly growing city.
"Our partnership with The King's Foundation stands on a shared belief: that the timeless wisdom of traditional knowledge, shaped by generations in harmony with nature, holds the key to building a sustainable future for our world," said Sheikha Hind.
"In safeguarding the cultural heritage of these four countries, we are also safeguarding the invaluable knowledge and transforming it into a living resource for sustainable development."
Chief Executive of The King's Foundation Kristina Murrin said, "We are looking forward to bringing our work in building sustainable communities and transforming lives to this new partnership.
"We have a long history of promoting traditional knowledge and skills to inform our future and how we build our towns and cities, which means we can hit the ground running on this range of new projects. We are grateful to those involved for their support and vision in taking this forward."
These four projects will be showcased at the upcoming second edition of the Earthna Summit – to be held in Doha, Qatar, from April 22-23- which will focus on advancing sustainability in hot and arid environments.
The strategic partnership between QF and The King's Foundation stresses the importance of international cooperation in addressing environmental challenges, with a focus on drawing solutions from traditional knowledge, a renewable wealth that contributes to building a more sustainable future for future generations.
