Environment and sustainable development
Siwa 2025
Siwa Oasis, Egypt
Environment and sustainable development
Welcome ISLL-8
8th International Symposium & Field Workshop Living with Landscapes
Siwa 2025
Siwa Oasis, Egypt
September 29- October 3, 2025
Environment and sustainable development
Welcome
Following the remarkable success of the previous installment (the seventh) of the "Living with Landscape" series of international symposiums and workshops, which took place in various stunning locations in Egypt between 2008 and 2024, we are delighted to announce the latest symposium (the eighth). The eighth symposium, scheduled for October 2025, will take place in Siwa, one of the most spectacular oases in Egypt's Western Desert, situated between the Qattara Depression and the Great Sand Sea.
The organizing team of the "Living with Landscape" series of international symposiums takes immense pleasure in inviting all of you to this experience. Siwa, once considered the most mysterious of all Egypt's oases, continues to captivate with its unique archeological and geographical features. All major ancient civilizations have contributed to shaping Siwa’s rich history, accrediting the uniqueness of its natural environment as a vast spot of lush agricultural land surrounded by a vast barren desert as far as the eye can see.
Only the even more unique cultural heritage of its local inhabitants, the Amazigh tribes, mirrors its unique location in the heart of the bright Western desert. Ancient Egyptians called it Amun’s, then Jupiter’s, Oasis, also Marmaricus, the Field of Palm Trees. Today we see it as a spot of environmental and cultural wonder to study, preserve, and enjoy.
Location
Human activities have slightly affected this unique geographical and ecological region in the northwest Egyptian desert. Natural preservation has preserved almost all its dunes, salt lakes, sabkhas, hot springs, scarps, residual hills, and several individual oases, providing unparalleled natural geomorphological and hydrological settings worldwide. The Siwa Oasis is located on the NW portion of Egypt, near the Egyptian/Libyan border. At the geographic coordinates of 29°8′S–30°2′N latitudes, the Siwa area is not far away from the Mediterranean coast. It stretches over 110 km in length, with a width ranging from 10 to 35 km, reaching up to the Libyan Desert Plains. The total area of the Oasis covers around 2,800 km², with a height above sea level of 19 m.
View of Qara Um al-Saghir village
The 120-acre “Umm al-Saghir” area is located 1050 km from Cairo and 250 km from Siwa. By contrast to cities, people of the oasis were able to build solar energy cells in the middle of the night (Fayad, 2023).
The ancient village of Qara Umm al-Saghir
The villagers of Umm al-Saghir constructed a fortress atop a hill, which served as a defensive site, shielding them from invaders for hundreds of years. During one rainy storm, the fortress collapsed, and the residents moved to the village’s current location (Fayad, 2023).
View of Lake Umm al-Saghir from the eastern shores
The only water sources in the regions of Siwa and Umm Al-Saghir are wells and springs. The majority of these sources draw their water from shallow carbonate aquifers between the depths of 10 and 120 m, with a few deeper exceptions at about 1000 m in depth (Fayad, 2023).
Theme
The meaning of sustainable development (SD) has been steadily evolving for a few decades now. Scholars and institutions strive to balance needs to escape poverty and dreams for better living standards with depth of involvement in life decisions and the simultaneous conserving and even enhancement of the natural resources and ecosystems underlying human life itself. One of the most well-known and quoted definitions describes sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This inclusive definition represents an elevated sense of social and ecological rationality and has been the touchstone for numerous evaluations, applications, and critiques during the last two decades. Despite constant debate, revisions, and refinements, it still maintains much of its original impetus, character, and dynamism. Optimism infuses sustainable development as institutions and individuals strive to establish a world that fosters understanding between the rich and the poor.
The powerful and the disenfranchised, taking into account both the long-term and the short-term, are involved. However, the conundrum is also filled with optimism as our understanding of our ability to achieve both sides of the argument grows, sometimes more expeditiously by the daMore insightful human understanding of growth and its many directions now tempers the development of new technologies. This symposium aims to show these potentialities without underestimating the challenges.
Objectives of the Symposium
- Ecosystem restoration,
- Biodiversity conservation, and
- Sustainable resource management, with a focus on
- Climate change adaptation and
- Pollution mitigation.
- Collaboration among researchers, policy-makers, and community leaders to address environmental and developmental challenges. Promoting:
The event will explore sustainable agriculture, green architecture, and circular economy strategies while emphasizing conservation of cultural and natural heritage. Discussions will cover urban sustainability, effective policy frameworks, and integrated hazard management to enhance understanding of disaster risks and climate change impacts, ultimately building a network committed to sustainability and resilience.
General Information
Organizers:
The Egyptian Society of Environmental Changes (ESEC)
Sponsors:
The Egyptian Society of Environmental Changes (ESEC)
The Venue:
Siwa Oasis
Siwa Oasis is a unique geographical and ecological region in the northwestern Egyptian desert. Human disturbances impair it, yet it retains its dunes, salt lakes, sabkhas, hot springs, scarps, residual hills, and oases, mirroring a natural geomorphological and hydrological setting. The Siwa Oasis is located on the NW portion of Egypt, near the Egyptian/Libyan border. Geographic coordinates of 29°8′–30°2′ N latitudes place the Siwa area not far away from the Mediterranean coast. It stretches over a distance of 110 km, with a width ranging from 10 to 35 km, up to the Libyan Desert Plains. The total area is 2,800 km², with a height above sea level of 19 m, which represents the Siwa depression.
Language
English and Arabic will be the official languages of the symposium.
Important dates
| Activity | Start time | Dead time |
|---|---|---|
|
Early registration & abstracts submission |
15th January 2025 |
30th June 2025 |
|
Late registration |
1st July 2025 |
28th September 2025 |
|
On-site registration |
29th September 2025 |
3th October 2025 |
|
Deadline for registration fees payment for participants with presentation. |
30th June 2025 |
|
|
Abstract acceptance notification |
Up to15th August 2025 |
|
|
Final program |
15th September 2025 |
|
|
On-site registration |
29th September 2025 |
3th October 2025 |
|
Submit full papers for publication |
1st January 2026 |
|
Grants
The Egyptian Society for Environmental Change is offering six partial grants, each with a 50% discount on the full package, to the best young researchers from Egyptian universities who wish to present their research (deadline: 30th June 2025).
