Dimah Ajeeb, Lecturer in Architecture, Urban Design, Regional Planning and Tourism in the School of Architecture + Cities, and a Lecturer in Built Environment, Regeneration and Real Estate at Westminster Business School, was invited to participate in the Global Council for Political Renewal’s (GCPR) inaugural conference on 14 and 15 April 2023.
The Global Council for Political Renewal (GCPR) is an international organisation which aims to bring together politicians at all levels from around the world, encourage a high standard of ethics and civic discourse in political life, and strive for global peace and justice.
The inaugural conference was held over two days at both the Institution of Mechanical Engineers and Senate House in London and centred around the theme Better Politics Possible. Dimah Ajeeb was able to contribute to the conference with her research and industry experience to address key issues that the Council and political leaders want academia to provide insights on.
In particular, Ajeeb spoke about the values, principles, and mechanisms for applying the multi-level governance (MLG) framework to enact and activate global political renewal.
She also reflected on her experience and knowledge of how to facilitate resilient and adaptive governance, and the importance of building citizens’ and communities’ trust in politics. She spoke about examples such as the European Union’s Municipal Administration Modernisation project in Syria 2005-2009; community-led regeneration projects and the making of great communities in the US, and specifically in New York; and UK and England’s experience of devolution, institutional reforms, place-based economies, neighbourhood planning, and communities empowerment, prosperity and inclusiveness.
Speaking about her participation in the conference, Ajeeb said: "I am immensely honoured to have been invited by the Global Council for Political Renewal to participate in their conference in London. The GCPR conference assembled a diverse and esteemed group of political leaders, academics, and civic leaders from around the world. With an outstanding line-up of speakers, including government ministers, MPs, Nobel Peace Prize laureates, ambassadors and academics, the event was a great opportunity for knowledge exchange and networking.
“The Council’s promotion of international cooperation, high ethical standards, and civic discourse in political life are ideals that I hold dear, and I wholeheartedly support the Council’s pursuit of global peace and justice. It is a privilege to contribute to the GCPR’s noble endeavour and mission to affect meaningful change on a global scale.”
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