Dubai: Dubai Municipality’s Department of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) marked World Geographic Information Systems Day, offering a dynamic platform for various constructive discussions. The annual event is hosted every November 16 at the Union Museum.
The event witnessed the participation of nearly 100 representatives from local, government, semi-governmental, and private entities in Dubai.
Through this event, the municipality reaffirmed its vital role in managing and developing Geographic Information Systems in the Emirate.
It considers GIS’s relevance in decision-making, crisis management, urban planning, map production, infrastructure development, and building an efficient community. Additionally, the celebration aligns with the vision of the Dubai Government to become one of the most future-ready cities.
Eng. Mariam Al Muhairi, CEO of the Buildings Regulation and Permits Agency at Dubai Municipality, stated that, “the Geographic Information Systems Center of Dubai Municipality is recognized both regionally and internationally for its capacity to provide geospatial services leveraging state-of-the-art global technologies for data collection and analysis.”
The discussions held at the event aimed at improving the capabilities of the field of Geographic Information Systems, developing innovative technologies to support the system infrastructure, and creating new research horizons.
In addition, the event looked at the possibilities of using geospatial capabilities to address climate change phenomena and design mitigation strategies. The move is in line with Dubai and the UAE’s goals of becoming carbon neutral and expanding their global involvement in sustainability and environmental initiatives.
It also coincides with Dubai hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).