JEDDAH: Madina should come up with action-oriented strategies to achieve its goal of creating a knowledge economic city, World Bank said at the two-day Knowledge Cities Conference (KCC) held in Madina recently. Salim Rouhana, World Bank's Urban Specialist for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region, when asked about WB's recommendations to catalyze the knowledge cities agendas, told the Saudi Gazette that the conference, among others, noted that it is esssential that "detailed and actionable knowledge city strategy – a short, medium- and long-term actionable strategy – with measurable yardsticks and benchmarks including on job creation" be implemented. "This could include, but not be limited to, the following actions: i) leveraging Madina's strength in terms of a prime religious destination, through the creation of a conference venue and significant annual event – a kind of year-round Davos – that exploits the city's convening power; ii) enhancing accessibility, connectivity, and cultural/recreational assets complementing religious attractions; iii) building research university/institutes of the front rank to attract talent and retain it in the city; iv) seeding a business cluster that would contribute to growth potential." Moreover, it should "develop international networking activities – actively plugging into existing international networks of knowledge cities through exchanges, organization of events, and use existing networks based on religious tourism to help the city promote its 'new face'". Rouhana likewise stressed that in nurturing a knowledge economy, some vital elements must be in place, namely: "good infrastructure, including ICT, which ensures both physical and knowledge flows; some elements of cultural vitality, ethnic diversity, and social tolerance seem important for the creativity associated with knowledge creation and dissemination; and networks between firms (clusters), between people (social), and between cities, that will help increase exposure to new ideas, boost learning and knowledge diffusion." Asked about the potentials of transforming Madina into knowledge-based economy, Rouhana said the religious and unique cultural heritage of Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah "offers policy makers an undeniable advantage in forging their strategies to position this great city on the regional and global competitiveness map." He reiterated the bank managing director's observation that the MENA region and more broadly the Arab World is known for significant economic, social and cultural achievements. "Indeed, for much of the last millennium, Arab countries were socially, economically, and technologically very advanced. The Islamic world represented the predominant civilization from the 8th to the 13th century and remained dominant until the 18th century," he noted. Cities such as Baghdad, Cairo, Damascus, Qairawan and Cordova were seats of learning and home to renowned scholars who left an indelible mark in science, medicine, architecture, and philosophy. "These were some of the original Knowledge Cities – long before the term was coined," Rouhana pointed out. On collaboration between the World Bank and KEC, he said the bank is already involved in multiple technical assistance programs with Amanat Al-Madinah, in different areas relating to managing urban growth, land management, and most recently, in urban economics. He noted that the bank, if requested, "is willing to assist in the ongoing efforts to further develop Madina's economy, especially if this leads to laying the path for a more solid form of knowledge based economic development," adding that KEC's role in "this transformation process must be included in all efforts to leapfrog and upgrade the entire city, and integrate the new development project (KEC) in a broader developmental regional vision to harness and exploit the positive outputs and spillovers." The convening of the 4th Madina Knowledge Cities Conference is a testimony to the commitment of Saudi Arabia to improving the competitiveness of its cities and to promoting knowledge-based economic development in the Kingdom, Rouhana explained. "Indeed, it is clear to me that decision makers in the Kingdom in general, and in Al-Madina Al-Munawwarah in particular, are serious about using knowledge as a catalyst for Al-Madina's economic growth and job creation for its young population," he said. The gathering served as a forum to learn about other cities that have successfully forged a strategy for knowledge-based development and explore how to apply these lessons of experience in the context of Madina's unique cultural and religious heritage, he added. The symposium, convened by Amanat Al-Madina Al-Munawara Municipality, in partnership with the Madina Development Authority and the World Bank, brought decision-makers, leading experts from world-renowned organizations and universities, as well as foreign government officials, researchers and specialists, and shed light in the furtherance of knowledge cities. The Knowledge Economic City (KEC) was the official sponsor of the successful symposium, with the media communication handled by Fikra for Public Relations.
