Under the auspices of the Institute of Urbanism (IoU) and the School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF), a sixteen-member delegation, comprising journalists, administrators, faculty, and students from COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI) and Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU), visited Chicago on Thursday with the support of the American Embassy Islamabad. The visit aimed to strengthen international partnerships for the exchange of knowledge and the promotion of youth-led green initiatives.
Organized under the initiative titled Green Urban Development (GUD), the nine-day exchange visit was facilitated by the Steans Center and the Eagan Office at DePaul University, Chicago. During the visit, the delegation held several high-level meetings with stakeholders at DePaul University, the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability, Federal High-Performance Green Buildings and Government-wide Policy, Inner-Muslim Action Network, the Pakistan Consulate, and the Rogers Park Business Alliance.
The discussions aimed to exchange insights on advancing sustainable urban development through innovative solutions. Mr. Tariq Karim, Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago, highlighted the potential of leveraging climate change to build resilience partnerships between the U.S. and Pakistan. Dr. Howard Rosing, Executive Director of the Steans Center at DePaul University, emphasized the importance of social equity in urban development programs.
The delegation participated in an interactive workshop on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, led by Mr. De’Amon Harges, Founder of The Learning Tree. The workshop focused on leveraging community assets to promote sustainable urban solutions. Additionally, the delegation visited key institutions and sites such as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Skokie, The Talking Farm, The Plant and Bubbly Dynamics, and the Grow Greater Englewood facility to gain insights into best practices in sustainable urban development and explore opportunities for international collaboration on water conservation, sustainable waste management, and green infrastructure.
