Forced displacement is a major development challenge, not only a humanitarian concern. A surge in violent conflict, as well as increasing levels of disaster risk and environmental degradation driven by climate change, have forced people to leave or flee their homes – both internally displaced as well as refugees. These displacement situations are becoming increasingly protracted, many lasting over 5 years. There is a need to develop more sustainable and efficient ways to support the integration of displacees as well as their host communities.

Rebuilding displaced and host communities goes beyond addressing physical needs. It must also address socio-cultural, institutional, human capital, livelihood, and economic perspectives and promote social cohesion between displaced and host communities. There is now an emerging discourse on the role of the built environment, in a wider sense beyond the physical, in addressing these diverse needs.

This high-level, international symposium will encourage debate and discussion on how a holistic approach to the built environment can help address some of the challenges and provide effective policies and methods of rebuilding communities, as well as integrating new comers, after forced displacement. It will promote sharing knowledge among the research community and practitioners in the field and encourage multidisciplinary and multi-sectoral interaction. The symposium is organised by the project consortium of REGARD, a European Commission funded project.

Symposium Themes include but are not limited to built environment perspectives on:

• Disasters and conflict induced displacement
• Understanding and managing for better response provision for displaced communities
• Governance of displacement
• Social cohesion between displaced and host communities
• Economic and policy interventions for sustainable resettlement
• Resilience and environmental consideration of resettlement planning
• Professional competency needs for addressing the needs of host and displaced communities
• Efforts to prevent and respond to internal displacement
• Regional and global initiatives which can act as catalysts for national commitment and local action
• Tools to provide planners and policymakers with evidence that goes beyond numbers.

Please mention the relevant theme, when you are submitting your abstract.
You will be notified about acceptance of your abstract within 14 days of the submission date.