The Cultural Village Foundation, Katara, signed yesterday a co-operation agreement with the Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (GORD) to enhance the concept of sustainability in urban environment.

The agreement, which includes conducting training workshops in the field and co-operation in related scientific researches, was signed by Dr Khalid bin Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti, general manager of Katara, and Dr Yousef bin Mohamed Alhorr, chairman, GORD.

“This agreement embodies Katara’s commitment to achieve sustainable development standards in its construction projects as part of the continuous and keen efforts to attain Qatar National Vision 2030,” said Dr Al-Sulaiti, stressing that Katara is doing its best to spread related knowledge and culture and enhance community awareness through partnership with different government and non-government bodies. He further affirmed that Katara presents a futuristic and bright vision through its sustainable development projects, which merges culture and investment, while participating in the ongoing massive development and advancement of the country in all sectors.

Dr Al-Sulaiti pointed out that this agreement will enable Katara staff to join the training workshops organised by GORD. It would also help in attracting the interested audience and visitors of Katara, besides facilitating media promotion for GORD’s activities.

Dr al-Horr expressed his happiness upon signing the agreement with Katara, observing it would strengthen co-operation between the two parties in all issues of common interest.

“Since Katara works to boost relationships among different cultures, enhance cultural exchange and spreading human knowledge and heritage, GORD is keen on co-operating with regard to sustainable development in three main factors: engineering, architecture and environment. GORD has considerable experience in awareness programmes for community and professionals interested in urban development,” he explained.

Though Katara and GORD already cooperate on some fronts, the new agreement will complement and give more coordination to such active collaboration.

“We appreciate such co-operation as it benefits both parties. GORD will benefit from the logistic and media capabilities of  Katara, besides improving research relations, as we are interested in heritage through the preparation of joint researches that serve Qatar National Vision 2030. We will work with Katara on implementing the concept of green projects, hoping that all the organisations in the country will respond to it and thereby benefit all the residents.”

Dr. Alhorr said GORD granted a three-star rating to Katara’s Health Club according to the international standards in evaluating sustainability. “We work on implementing the standards of green buildings in Doha as it has also been to implement them in other GCC countries,” he said.

“We are currently working on the construction of an environment friendly Qatari Villa project. This would not be just an architectural project but rather an awareness project, as this villa will serve as a location for workshops that could attract students and others interested in sustainable development. This is a vast and rich field. In this villa project, we work on merging modernism and heritage to spread awareness about the importance of the issue. It is also considered a project that attracts tourists and locals,” Dr Alhorr added.

The agreement stipulates co-ordination and co-operation between Katara and GORD, a founding member of The United Nation’s Environment Programme’s Sustainable Building and Climate Initiative, to enhance the adoption and implementation of sustainability concepts in the urban environment through the adequate training of staff locally and regionally.