By Adnan Hameed TWA _____ To strengthen international partnerships for the exchange of knowledge and promotion of youth-led green initiatives, the Institute of Urbanism (IoU) and the School of Leadership Foundation (SoLF), with the support of the U.S. Embassy Islamabad, organized a 09-day exchange visit from Islamabad to Chicago under the initiative titled Green Urban Development (GUD). The exchange visit was facilitated by the Steans Center and the Eagan Office at DePaul University, Chicago. During the exchange visit, the 16-member delegation comprising journalists, organizers, and faculty and students from COMSATS University Islamabad and Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), held several high-level meetings with important stakeholders at DePaul University, the Cook County Department of Environment and Sustainability, Federal High-Performance Green Buildings and Government-wide Policy, Inner-Muslim Action Network, the Pakistan Consulate, and the Rogers Park Business Alliance. The purpose of the meetings was to exchange insights into how sustainable urban development can be promoted through innovative solutions. Dr. GianMario Besana, Associate Provost for Global Engagement and Online Learning at DePaul University, stated, “We live in a world with global issues that need global solutions. Most of the urban development challenges can be solved if diverse groups come together and collaborate.” Tariq Karim, Consul General of Pakistan in Chicago, expressed, “Climate change is a huge challenge but it can also be leveraged to build partnerships among the U.S. and Pakistan for increasing resilience in both countries.” Dr. Howard Rosing, Executive Director of the Steans Center at DePaul University, highlighted that “bringing social equity in urban development programs is integral for meaningful change.” To gain a deeper understanding of how to engage local urban communities to initiate and scale up environmentally sustainable, socially just, and economically viable development projects in cities, the delegation participated in an interactive workshop on the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) approach led by Mr. De’Amon Harges, Founder of The Learning Tree. The workshop focused on leveraging the community’s existing assets to promote sustainable urban solutions. Mariyam Irfan, Managing Director of SoLF, shared, “This exchange visit has been a great opportunity to see how community involvement and youth leadership can drive sustainable urban development. The experiences and lessons we've gained here will help SoLF support similar projects in Pakistan, tapping into our young people's creativity and passion to make our cities greener and more resilient.” Ayesha Majid, Senior Program Coordinator at IoU, expressed, “One of the biggest assets Pakistan has is its youth. Equipped with the required support and technical skills, they have the potential to accelerate the transition towards a livable urban future. The GUD project provides proof of that as well, where students have initiated impactful projects to support green urban development in Islamabad.” The delegation also visited key institutions and sites such as the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District Skokie, The Talking Farm, The Plant and Bubbly Dynamics, and Grow Greater Englewood facility, to gain insights into best practices in sustainable urban development in Chicago and explore opportunities for international collaboration on water conservation, sustainable waste management, and green infrastructure. Dr. Sohail Yousaf, Professor at QAU, remarked, “One thing that we see across the board in all these facilities is the focus on engaging with the communities and ensuring their buy-in in the programs. This is something that should be promoted in Pakistan as well. The academia can promote this by introducing mandatory community engagement for students.” Zoupash Khan, a student at COMSATS University Islamabad, expressed, “The meetings, workshops, and field visits to different facilities in Chicago have deepened our understanding of sustainable urban development practices and community development, providing valuable insights and inspiration for implementing similar initiatives in our home country.” The delegation enjoyed insightful visits to the Lincoln Park Conservatory, Devon Avenue, South Side Chicago, and Millennium Park where they explored the diverse cultures co-existing within Chicago.