Muscat: As part of the events of an exhibition and conference co-themed 'Home and Building Expo', a dialogue session was held today about the role of parks in developing cities and improving the quality of life. The events, which took place at Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre in Muscat, saw the participation of directors-general of municipalities from different governorates of the Sultanate of Oman.

According to Oman News Agency, during the panel discussion, the participants exchanged views about the importance of integrating parks into urban planning, with the objective of diminishing pollution, improving public health, and fostering social solidarity. The session also reviewed the challenges facing municipalities in allocating land within densely populated cities, ways to achieve a balance between urban expansion and the preservation of green spaces, and successful projects in the governorates to optimize the use of urban landscape.

The session touched on topics such as enhancing identity in garden design by highlighting the governorates' geographical and environmental diversity; using local plants to promote environmental sustainability; cutting down water consumption; and leveraging local terrain and climate to design gardens with distinct character in each region, whether coastal, mountainous, or desert environments.

In addition, the session addressed the latest practices in smart irrigation, energy-efficient lighting, and digital maintenance systems. It elaborated on the importance of digital surveillance of park performance to ensure sustainability and discussed future plans to expand the scope of smart green spaces in Omani cities.

The participants expressed a common view that parks can serve as tourist attractions and open centers for community interactions, boosting social life and environmental awareness. They called for measures to establish partnerships between the private sector and the local community to develop efficient practices in maintaining parks and utilizing them as spaces for cultural, sporting, and recreational activities.