Doha: The 7th Scientific Conference of the Gulf Cooperation Council's (GCC) Geographical Society (GCCGS) kicked off in Doha on Sunday. The three-day event is convened in collaboration with the Katara Cultural Village under the theme of culture and modern trends in geography and applications of artificial intelligence.
According to Qatar News Agency, the opening ceremony was attended by Katara's general manager, Dr. Khalid bin Ibrahim Al Sulaiti, President of GCCGS Dr. Khaled Hamad Aba Al Zamat, alongside a contingent of academics and specialized researchers from the GCC states and Arab world. In his opening remarks, Al Sulaiti expressed his pleasure in hosting this significant Gulf scientific event, highlighting the shared awareness of geographical knowledge as a strategic milestone addressing human issues, location, and development.
Hosting this conference aligns with Katara's vision as a cultural space that integrates with scientific research to produce knowledge and foster awareness, Al Sulaiti emphasized. He further explained that geography has become a vital tool for understanding rapid evolution and addressing environmental, economic, and urban challenges, hoping that the conference would yield practical recommendations to support sustainable development and strengthen Gulf scientific integration.
Dr. Al Zamat emphasized the importance of the conference as a platform for advancing geographical knowledge and sharing expertise among GCC and Arab researchers. He expressed gratitude to Katara for supporting the event, praising its role in enhancing Qatar's status as a cultural and intellectual hub.
The conference's first session focused on culture and modern trends in geography, featuring scientific papers on cutting-edge technologies in cultural and heritage geography. Notable presentations included Dr. Badr bin Adel Al Faqeer's study on AI in monitoring rock art in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Noura Al Naseri and Dr. Ibrahim Al Balushi's paper on AI in urban planning, and Dr. Hamza Ali Al Khwalidah and Dr. Nidal Mohammed Al Zaboun's research on tourism image analysis using AI.
Additional presentations covered topics such as AI's role in enhancing urban heritage by Dr. Rasha Sultan, geographic AI in designing the Saudi architecture map by Hanan bint Abdul Latif Al Ghailan Al Tamimi, and managing world heritage sites using geographic AI by Nihal Abdullah Ayesh Hassan and Dr. Hani Rabee Nadi Mohammed.
The second day explored AI applications in natural and environmental geography, focusing on climate change, environmental risk management, and monitoring pollution. Participants also enjoyed a cultural program visiting the Museum of Islamic Art and Souq Waqif.
On the final day, the conference will conclude with sessions on modern geographic technologies, followed by the presentation of conference recommendations and the GCCGS's General Assembly meeting.