On 04 and 05 February 2025, the LACOMOFA, a Biskra University laboratory, organised the
first national forum on the environment and public space, led by the university Rector and his
deputies, faculties’ deans, university managers and officials, and academics and researchers in
environmental issues,
urban planning and sustainable development. In his speech, Prof.
Mahmoud Debabeche, stressed the importance of public spaces in improving the quality of
urban life and the need to adopt sustainable environmental strategies to face climate and urban
challenges. For his part, Dr Essam Abdesselem, Architecture, Civil Engineering and
Hydraulics Faculty Dean, stressed the need to intensify research in this field to promote
sustainable development. Dr Benabbas Mosaddak, LACOMOFA laboratory director, and Dr
Farhi Abdallah, the scientific committee chairperson, chaired the forum and led discussion
sessions on various topics, including urban design and planning, mobility, social quality and
accessibility, water management, air quality and pollution, environmental restoration and the
aesthetic and cultural dimension, and technology and innovation in the environment.
Participants discussed the impact of urban expansion on public spaces and ways to achieve
their sustainability, as well as the role of urban design in improving the quality of the urban
environment. They reviewed successful international experiences in the Algerian context,
emphasising the need to integrate research efforts and urban policies to achieve balanced
development. The Forum aims to provide a scientific platform to discuss current
environmental issues and to promote cooperation between researchers and decision-makers to
develop innovative and sustainable solutions for future generations