Date: April 24, 2024
Venue: University of Jordan
Theme: Engaging Local Communities in the Blue Economy
Keynote speakers and major discussions:
The welcome session was an initiation to the Jordan workshop, and this session included some brief speeches. All of them have introduced the main lines of the BLUE ERA project’s goals. The keynote video was on the sustainable blue economy and the strategic importance of progress. This session set the baseline understanding for the discussion that ensued.
Detailed Sessions and Speakers:
- Prof. Mohammad Al-Zibdah commenced his intervention with an overview on the concept of the blue economy, emphasizing the main general principles andhow to diversify and get them adapted to local and regional contexts, inconjunction with practices of sustainability.
- Prof. Riyad Manasrah presented the specified objectives of the project, where BLUE-ERA aims at converting and merging principles of blue economy in the Mediterranean.
- Pr. Rachid Amara participated in an e debate on the necessary nature of the sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean.
- Prof. Maria Giovanna Parisi, UNIPA, Italy, underlined the role of Italy as a central player in the international activities of partnership in the blue economy also within a webinar.
Practical and Discussion Sessions:
In an interactive session included in the title “Shaping the Future: Needs and Expectations of Stakeholders,” this part of the agenda discussed how the needs of the stakeholders might shape the future of the blue economy. The workshop concluded with a high-tone panel discussion on “Next steps and concluding remarks” based on how best to structure communication networks and identify further opportunities for future cooperation among participants.
Stakeholder Engaged:
- None Collaboration Enhancement: Therefore, the workshop recommended that discussions should highlight more on closer collaboration between academia and industry for the best sustainable way forward.
- Stakeholders: The stakeholders in this case are many, ranging from academicians, industry leaders, all the way to local community representatives. The stakeholders helped in collecting very many diverse insights and expectations.
Future Directions:
This last session rounded up actionable insights that would provide the direction for future collaborative efforts in a bid to continue the momentum developed from the workshop. This workshop has really been a milestone in engaging with the local communities and stakeholders to drive in the importance of such integrated efforts that could actually unlock the potential of the Blue Economy in Jordan and beyond.
