Diversity as Catalyst: Economic Growth and Urban Resilience in Global Cityscapes

Gaetan SIEW is the Past President of the International Union of Architects and Past Secretary General of the African Union of Architects. Gaetan is an avid world traveller, experiencing over 500 cities across 105 countries including most of Africa. For his contributions to the Architectural and Urban world, he was awarded several honorary membership and fellowships, and elevated to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean by the Government of Mauritius, and elevated to the ranks of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, and de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by the French Republic. Past Board Director of Futures Cities UK since July 2013, Past Chairperson of State Land Development Company (Smart Mauritius), Past Chairman of Construction Industry Board, and current chairperson of the Port Louis Development Initiative and Special Envoy for UN Habitat, Mr. Siew advocates for sustainable approaches towards urbanism aimed to socially and economically regenerate urban fabrics.

Zaheer ALLAM holds a PhD in Humanities, a Master of Arts (Res), an MBA, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Architectural Science from universities in Australia and the United Kingdom. He is currently Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of Architecture, Design and Planning (ADP), The University of Queensland, Australia. Based in Mauritius, he was the first Chairperson of the National Youth Environment Council (NYEC) and a board member of the Mauritius Renewable Energy Agency (MARENA) and works on a number of projects on the thematic of Smart Cities and on strategies dwelling in the increasing role of technology in Culture and the Society. Zaheer is also the African Representative of the International Society of Biourbanism (ISB), member of the Advisory Circle of the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), and a member of a number of other international bodies. Honorary Fellow at Deakin University (Australia), he holds a number of awards and commendations, including an elevation, by the President of Mauritius, to the rank of Officer of the Order of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean, the highest distinct order of merit in Mauritius. He is the author of over 175 peer reviewed publications and author of 14 books on the subject of Smart, Sustainable and Future Cities.

Ali CHESHMEHZANGI is a Full Professor and Head of the School of Architecture, Design and Planning (ADP) at The University of Queensland, where he leads the School and researches across the fields of architecture, design, and planning/urbanism. He has been in the World’s top 2 per cent field leader since 2022, recognised by Stanford University. He is among the top 30 global scholars in the urban sustainability research area. Ali has a wealth of experience, expertise, and a strong commitment to innovation and excellence in the fields of architecture, design, and planning, the three core disciplines of his School at UQ. With a career spanning over two decades, he has made significant contributions to the academic and professional communities, with a focus on sustainable and environmentally conscious design. So far, Ali has published over 500 journal papers, articles, conference papers, book chapters, and reports. He also has 29 other academic books, three of which have received awards at the national, provincial, and municipal levels. He also has received international awards and recognition for his research on urban resilience studies and sustainability research, as well as a Vice-Chancellor’s award for his impactful contribution to higher education.