A Co-Founder and Partner at LUGARIT.  Responsibilities include:  

• Strategic direction and vision:  Set and refine the strategic goals and long-term vision, and ensure alignment with LUGARIT’s mission and values.

• Business development:  Identify and pursue new business opportunities.

• Project oversight:  Lead and manage consulting projects from inception to completion.

• Research oversight:  Oversee the development and implementation of research agendas and control the quality of research outputs.

• Client Management:  Serve as the primary point of contact for key clients.

• Stakeholder Engagement:  Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including donors, policymakers, and partner organizations.

• Facilitation: Design and lead facilitation processes to engage stakeholders in negotiations and diplomacy dialogue tracks.

• Policy Influence:  Engage in policy advocacy and debates and provide expert advice and recommendations to policymakers.

• Funding:  Lead fundraising efforts and secure funding for LUGARIT’s projects. 

• Team Leadership:  Lead, mentor, and develop consulting and research teams, and foster a collaborative and productive working environment.

• Thought Leadership: Present LUGARIT’s work at conferences and oversee the development and dissemination of commentary and publications.

• Ethical Standards:  Uphold ethical standards in all LUGARIT’s activities.

Founded a private consulting company.  Work included:

• Co-authored a special report commissioned by the EU to define a road map for the engagement of the EU with Syrian civil society.  Link >

• Engaged with a team of researchers to produce a first of its kind report on the status of women in Syria.  Link >

• Contributing to the development of a digital tool to facilitate dialogue and negotiation online.   Link >

• Ongoing support for the facilitation and networking of the Women’s Advisory Board to the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria.

• Led a team of experts to develop a communication strategy for a joint program funded by the EU to disseminate knowledge products related to housing, land, and property issues in Syria.   Link >

• Supported the Global Land Alliance and the Prindex team in producing their first Arab region tenure security report.   Link >

• Facilitated high level scenario development workshops and developing coping strategies for civil society actors involved in work in Syria.

• Advanced new platforms for dialogue and research on the Syrian conflict with different organizations including: the Common Space Initiative, the Geneva Center for Security Policy, the Omran Center and the Local Administration Councils Unit. 

• Advised various research teams on gender issues, including a mapping of the positions of different political factions participating in the Syrian constitutional committee regarding women’s rights issues, and developing gender barometers on factors affecting the situation of women in Syria for a special report on mapping gender equality and women rights in Syria.

• Co-founder of the Syria Initiative, a platform for peace building hosted by the Common Space Initiative in Lebanon. Engagement involved design, planning, partnerships and fund raising as well setting up modules for strengthening peace assets and supporting dialogues among different stakeholders to the Syrian conflict. Responsibilities included:

  • Coordinating the work programs, developing concept notes and funding proposals, engaging stakeholders, training staff, developing qualitative research, supervising communication work, preparing periodic reports and leading qualitative training and capacity building programs for partners.  

  • Supporting various UN organizations in developing actions programs and interventions towards peace building and stabilization. Work included collaboration with UN Habitat on developing a framework for the State of Syrian Cities Report to map urban conditions, backstopping planning initiatives, conducting local governance discussions, developing ideas and prefeasibility studies for urban stabilization and recovery, as well  as preparing thematic papers on housing, land and property issues in Syria. Also, facilitated various meetings organized by UNDP to engage private sector actors in mapping their role in the future economic recovery of their country and to discuss the impact of the war on the economy. Work is being codified by an internal paper to chart risks and opportunities and a framework to assess how to avoid doing harm when engaging in the future reconstruction and recovery in the country. 

  • Supported UN Women and the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria to facilitate meetings of the Women’s Advisory Board and civil society meetings in Geneva. Engagement with the Women’s advisory board was sustained from its inception in 2016 till 2020. It involved co-facilitation of a forum of women reflecting diverse political views and helping to strategically ensure that women’s political participation is secured in the UN led mediation process. The facilitation team collaborated to develop methodologies to empowering women, and to systemically engage them in advocating for the gender mainstreaming of the political process.   

  • Facilitating different stakeholder meetings on issues such as local governance; housing, land and property (HLP); public reforms; culture and heritage; interfaith dialogues; education; local ceasefires, women’s political action, etc.  

  • Provided strategic advice to partners such as UN Habitat, NRC and the Office of the Special Envoy for Syria on HLP concerns in Syria and facilitated various meetings among key institutional partners to coordinate approaches. Engagement involved producing research, policy briefs, presentations, context analysis and peer reviewing documents. The approach was to highlight the issue within a complex eco-system and ensure a sustained focus on women’s HLP rights as a cross cutting issue. 

  • Developed training modules for enabling civil society actors from leading work on the ground inside the war-ravaged country. Courses include: strategic planning, gender sensitive political and social research, resource development, project life-cycle management, advocacy, political empowerment for women, etc.  

  • Participating in international advocacy efforts to support peace building in Syria. This involved developing concept notes and presentation to high level decision making bodies and donor organizations, with the aim of exploring new bottom-up approaches and engagement of women in building peace in Syria. 

• Worked on developing a paper on the impact of conflict in the Arab region on the prospects of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Work was commissioned by UN ESCWA, 2018. Work included key conflict drivers in the region and correlating them with select SDG indicators to develop scenarios for advancing stabilization and development in the region.  Link >

• Participated with the team advising the Municipality of Saida on developing an Urban Sustainable Development Strategy, as part of the grant provided by the MEDCITIES program to support municipalities across the Mediterranean to establish inclusive strategic visions for growth and local development. Worked covered the sectors of urban infrastructure and urban economy. Work included responsibilities to develop the urban economy and infrastructure chapters of the reports concerning the collective memory, urban analysis, strategic planning, design of priority projects and setting a monitoring and evaluation framework for future work. An intensive community engagement program was an essential part of the approach to this project.   Link >

• Led a team of Researchers to develop a detailed report on decentralization in the Mashrek Region to be presented at the “Seminar for Dialogue and Capacity Building of Local and Regional Authorities in the Mashrek in the Development and Local Governance Fields, Amman. Jordan, 2014”. The report was commissioned by SKL international (Sweden) and was developed in conjunction with Playmaker (Belgium). The research included three case studies (Jordan, Lebanon and Yemen), however, it also included a broad review of the paradigms for decentralization, including its impact on women political participation, and the impact of EU funding instruments and programs on the issue in the region.  Link >

• Contributed to the work of the United Nations Economic and Social Committee for West Asia (UN-ESCWA) to launch the project for the National Agenda for the Future of Syria, a multi-track technical dialogue on developing a policy framework for the transitional post conflict governance of Syria. Work included project design, editing of the inception report, engagement of stakeholders, developing funding proposals and building international partnerships. 

• Consulted with Omrania on developing a white paper on housing policy commissioned by the Saudi Ministry of Housing. The objective of the research was to help the Ministry review policy options and benchmark its impact in delivery of affordable housing. The research focused on modeling the supply and demand for housing, reviewing existing policy and regulatory frameworks as well as benchmarking Saudi policies against international best practices.  Link >

• Engaged as part of the team of the Lebanese Center for Policy Research on a project to map decentralization efforts in Lebanon and create a comparative baseline with other Arab states. Responsibilities included developing the chapter documenting the decentralization process in Yemen.  Link >

• Co-authored and led the team of the Beirut Research and Innovation Center in conducting commissioned research on behalf of donors and international organizations including Oxfam and International Alert. The research commissions covered the following topics: 

  • The Livelihoods of Syrian Refugees in Lebanon, November 2013.  Link >

  • The Perception of the Lebanese Concerning the Security Threats Related to the Presence of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon, March 2014.  Link >

• Instructed various core and elective courses for the Masters’ program in urban planning and urban design, including design and planning studios (covering themes such as cultural landscapes, urban mobility and urban territorialities), research methods, as well as urban heritage management. Courses focused on developing strategic responses that meet social, economic, institutional governance and political conditions and then prepare feasible detailed responses to these conditions, including urban design and planning regulations. 

• Participated in faculty meetings and in organizing visiting exhibitions, events, conferences and lectures.  

• Co-instructed a masters’ studio course for the joint urban design and urban planning program. The course, taught twice, dealt with the issue of integrating the old city conservation and cultural landscapes in Lebanon, with the larger urban contexts surrounding them.  

• Managed a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization working on issues of rural development and empowerment of rural women, youth civic engagement and entrepreneurship, and culture and heritage programs. 

• Administered a team of 210 professionals working in the various areas of activities covered by the organization. 

• Led the development of the strategic planning process to define the mid-term growth of the organization, and supervised the development of the pre-feasibility studies for managing a trust fund to support the process. 

• Re-engineered the delivery processes of the organization and established leaner and more effective decentralized operations based on local community needs (especially those of women) and engagement of local volunteers and civil society groups. 

• Strengthened the network of governmental and non-governmental partners and broadened the funding base of the Trust. 

• Managed the technical team responsible for developing a major children’s discovery centre in Damascus, setting up its exhibitions and negotiating agreements with consultants and funding partners. 

• Expanded the engagement of the volunteers in the management and operations of the Trust.

• Set up new projects under the banner of the Trust including the launching of a major microfinance institution. Work included developing pre-feasibility and feasibility research, a framework for project cycle management, and setting up governance structures. 

• Oversaw the establishment of effective financial controls and the preparation for the establishment of a corporate ERP.  

• Managed the process of developing corporate policies and operating procedures (including HR, procurement, fundraising, emergency, security and non-discrimination). 

• Established a result based planning and monitoring system and led the development of impact indicators for evaluating long term impact of work. 

• Supervised the organization of a major international development conference and managed the ensuing engagement plan to continue the liaison with partners to translate results into working program. 

• Served on a national committee commissioned to rewrite Syria’s NGO law, and organized an advocacy campaign to support the adoption of the law. Also lead the organization’s advocacy programs for policy reform in the area of local development, decentralization and local governance, including participation in the committee that advised on preparing the draft law on local administration (law 107/2011) in Syria.  

• Headed the management team of the organization and promoted a collective management process for the team. 

• Reported to the Board of Trustees and prepared periodic progress reports, analytical studies and strategic discussions. 

• Represented the organization in major local and international events. 

• Developed the organization’s official positioning policy to ensure the organization’s centrist role as a platform for dialogue and reconciliation in the on-going conflict in Syria. 

• Served as the principal advisor and team leader for a German-Yemeni Cooperation Project. The PDHCY Provides technical support to the Yemeni authorities to manage and develop two World Heritage Sites (Shibam and Zabid) in Yemen as well as several other historical cities in the country. Linking heritage conservation to direct economic and social development is the main concept for the project. Yemen is a fragile state with little assets to support sustainable economic development. PDHCY was co-financed by the German Government and the Social Fund for Development for Yemen to engage local communities in preserving their heritage assets and capitalize on them as tools for LED.  

• Prepared cooperation agreements and cooperation strategies with counterpart organizations such as municipal structures, government agencies, other development projects, and local community centers (especially those aiming at empowering women). 

• Organized co-financing agreements and prepared funding proposals. 

• Worked with local and national authorities, institutions and NGO's to develop project cycle management planning, dispensing small grants and evaluating impacts.

• Supervised the Project’s performance and backstopped its technical work including: 

  • Financial tools and incentives for community development programs, heritage conservation and women empowerment. 

  • Heritage conservation projects and plans, including the development of comprehensive conservation plans and management concepts for the two sites.

  • The preparation and implementation of Local Economic Development Plans for Shibam and Zabid and the supervision of prefeasibility study to ensure the sustainability of the conservation work over the long run.

  • Strengthening of local community development initiatives, NGO’s and CBO’s, especially those focused on the role of women in youth in local development and heritage conservation.

  • Integrated urban infrastructure projects. 

  • Decentralization of local government. 

  • Developing institutional competence and interagency networking. 

• Co-authored the draft law for the preservation of historic cities of Yemen, and organized the national feedback discussions. Also, worked on developing municipal regulations and compliance in two historical cities.

• Presented the work to UNESCO and led discussions on the status of world heritage sites in Yemen. Coordinated between national partners and the international organization on developing the reporting structure to keep Yemen's heritage assets on the WH list. 

• Lead the Team’s planning and budgeting operations. 

• Supervised the design, development and regular updates of the monitoring system.  

• Participated in different committees of the GIZ team in Yemen including:

  • The committee to adopt the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) on the local level.

  • The committee to develop impact assessment processes for projects. 

• Organized the recruitment and supervised a team of 30 professionals including, architects, engineers, social workers, and planners; also, managed the outsourcing contracts for a myriad of professional consultants. At least 5 women were engaged in top technical positions in the project. 

• Organized and backstopped platforms for resolving conflict with community elders and civil society activists in the project’s target areas.

• Established a financial reporting system to Project co-financiers. 

• Prepared periodic progress reports for the different donors of the project and in line with their different reporting requirements. 

• Served as the principal advisor and team leader for a German-Yemeni Cooperation Project. The SUDP aimed at linking heritage conservation of the World Heritage Site of Shibam with direct economic and social benefits for local communities and institutions. The Project receives funding from the German Government and has strong cooperation agreements for joint initiatives with several Yemeni National and local counterparts. 

• Prepared cooperation agreements and strategies with counterpart organizations. 

• Worked with local authorities and NGO's to develop work plans and priorities. 

• Designed financial and technical tools to support community based restoration and rehabilitation work. 

• Provided technical and managerial assistance to local government to assist in the decentralization process on the local level. 

• Steered projects in heritage conservation, infrastructure replacement, municipal services, solid waste management, community and economic development, women education and economic empowerment, as well as institutional capacity building.

• Developed work programs for empowering local NGO's in the fields of development, agricultural activities, culture and tourism. 

• Designed training modules for strengthening the capacity of NGO's working on literacy, primary and higher education, as well as economic development for Women in the Shibam District. The focus was on training of trainers to enable local women to lead future capacity building modules. 

• Prepared annual budgets and work plans for Project activities and for joint cooperation programs with counterparts. 

• Developed funding proposal for engaging other donors in the preservation and urban development programs in Shibam. Also, prepared co-financing agreements for the proposed initiatives and periodic reports to donors. 

• Set up a result-based monitoring system to monitor project developmental impacts and elaborated standard procedures for quality assurance for the services provided by the Project. Key impact indicators included a strong focus of gender mainstreaming results.

• Supervised a team of 10 professionals including, architects, engineers, social workers, and planners; also, managed the outsourcing contracts for a myriad of professional consultants. At least two 2 senior technical positions were women led. 

• Participated in several working groups related to the improvement of the company's performance on the national level in Yemen. Work included initiation of GIZ, previously GTZ, Yemen office, to the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) as well as the introduction of result based monitoring.  

• Served as a Consultant with the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo (co- funded by German Technical Cooperation and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development). Aleppo is a 355 hectares World Heritage Site. Work included the following responsibilities: 

  • Co-edited the Development Plan for the Old City of Aleppo, a long-term planning program to upgrade and preserve the historic city and develop adequate urban management systems. Work also included the negotiation of formal adoption procedures by national authorities. Responsibilities included the development of the historical research, the development of the chapters related to urban land use and historic buildings, as well as working with all the other sections to ensure the coherence of strategies and mainstream outcomes. The role also involved intensive technical and social engagement of stakeholders and coordination the approval and adoption procedures with line ministries and the UNESCO world Heritage Center. 

  • Elaborated a housing upgrading program based on revolving loans and micro credits, including identifying needs, organizing participatory meetings with stakeholders (ensuring the participation of women in the process), financial modeling and feasibility studies, institutional design, preparing post occupancy evaluations and strategies for long-term programs. 

  • Elaborated the general land use plan and the building code for the Old City, including perimeter zones: the first such regulations in the region. Work also include developing municipal regulatory and compliance procedures to ensure proper oversight of the implementation of the codes. 

  • Prepared detailed Action Area Plans for two pilot historic neighborhoods. Work included developing detailed land use plans and building regulations. Also, prepared action programs for these areas including documentation of historic structures, rehabilitating and adaptive re-use of historic buildings for social infrastructure, preparing urban design projects, developing house-rehabilitation schemes and planning tourist routes. 

  • Facilitated various public and town hall meetings to engage stakeholders (ensuring strong women participation in the process) to deepen public participation.

  • Supervised and trained 9 architects and engineers half of which were women.

• Cooperated on joint ventures with international consulting firms, mainly to develop pre-feasibility studies for tourism facility projects. Work involved adapting financial analysis software to match local legal and tax conditions and scoping local market potentials. 

• Chaired the Technical Committee for the Protection of the Old City of Aleppo, 1999 till 2002. The Committee is the technical authority delegated the responsibility for approving projects in the historic zone in Aleppo, insuring proper historic documentation, adequate restoration strategies and adherence to codes. Also, as part of the responsibilities, served on various subcommittees related to supervision and financing of rehabilitation projects and insuring compliance with different urban regulatory frameworks and coordinating among different municipal and local service institutions on the implementation of major projects in the old city.  

• Participated in the preparation of several studies related to assessing the urban economy in old Aleppo and defining economic constraints for rehabilitation work. Work included preparing pre-feasibility assessment of heritage conservation plans for restoring the historic monuments of the old city of Aleppo and assessing the legal and institutional framework for such work in the future.

• Prepared the technical and administrative procedures to initiate the Shibam Historic Houses Program as part of the Shibam Urban Development Project, Hadhramawt, Yemen. The program aims at assisting owners of historic houses in documenting, defining rehabilitation priorities, as well as providing a financial subsidy for implementation. The work focused on developing local regulatory and compliance procedures. The Project was funded by the GIZ, (previously GTZ) and the Social Development Fund of Yemen (partly funded by the World Bank). Further work included initiating planning procedures in a participatory manner and ground work towards a conservation plan for this world heritage site. Additional tasks involved preparation of funding proposals, pre-feasibility studies, awareness programs, public meetings and computer simulations to aid in visualizing the impact of public policy.  

• Commissioned by German Technical Cooperation (GIZ, previously GTZ) to serve as an independent international expert on a Project Progress Review Mission. The Mission evaluated the progress of work in the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo and drafted recommendations for the 2000 – 2003 phase of the Project. 

• Served on the Technical Review Program of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in the 2001 and 2004 cycles. Work included site visits, documentation, interviews with project personnel, preparing reports, and presentations to the jury. Projects reviewed included:  

  • A housing program in the Comoros nominated for the 2001 award cycle. 

  • A factory, a sport facility and an emergency shelter prototype in Iran nominated for the 2004 award cycle. 

• Prepared a study titled “Decentralization and the Emerging Role of Municipalities in Syria” on behalf of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia, UN ESCWA, 2000. The study was to be used as part of a comparative regional analysis. Results of the study were presented in numerous regional expert meetings organized by ESCWA in Beirut and Cairo. 

• Prepared a website for marketing a prominent 16th century historical building for adaptive reuse, www.khanquortbak.com. Work included the preparation of new use concept, visual simulation of building and preparation of English and Arabic promotional texts. Work included supervising a team of website developers,  researchers and graphic designers. 

• Managed the architecture and design team within SURADEC, comprised of eight architects and engineers. The output of the team includes three residential apartment buildings, two private villas, and preliminary design work for hotels, restaurants, mosques, a gallery and a public plaza. Also, the team participated in various design competitions, project-concept schemes, and feasibility studies. 

• Designed and prepared permit documents for 23000 sm. of residential apartments, two luxury suburban houses, and three mountain-resort buildings. Designed the lighting and acoustic systems of a 450 seats auditorium. Prepared the design and construction drawings for the lighting of the main plaza in the city of Raqqa. Prepared the preliminary designs for an 88-apartments housing complex. Designed and prepared permit documents for a 100bed hotel. Managed an office of four architects and one structural engineer. 

• Prepared the historic documentation plans for a 16th century residence in the Old City of Aleppo and contributed to its conservation design work. Work included measured drawings, stone numbering and restoration plan, design of new architectural stone elements to match old structure and development of lighting design.  

• Served on the Aga Khan Awards’ Technical Review Program and reviewed two projects nominated for the 1998 awards cycle by conducting on site revies of the projects in Lahore, Pakistan. 

• Supervised the architectural work for the construction of a 100-bed disabled child’s ward, the construction of two luxury suburban houses, and the remodeling of 1200 sm. of office and residential space. 

• Cooperated with other architects on design competition entries and schematic architectural proposals. Competition themes included a national library, a hospital, and various housing projects.

• Co-prepared a study on the implementation of accessibility codes and municipal regulations to ease the access of mobility impaired persons to public spaces. Also worked with the local authorities on developing sample projects on different public spaces in the city. 

• Co-organized the Second International Photography Gathering in Aleppo. Work included retrofitting 2000 sm. of a dilapidated historical building, designing the exhibition set, coordinating auxiliary events with participants, as well as general management of the premises. The work was part of the efforts of highlighting potential adaptive reuse of historic monuments. 

• Supervised and evaluated student’s Environmental Controls’ design projects; and conducted graduate and undergraduate levels lab sessions. 

• Served as a member of the Steering Committee for the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in its 2011-2013 cycle.  Link >

• Served as the Chairperson of the Master Jury of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in its 2008-2010 cycle.  Link > 

• Served on the Jury of a mapping design competition organized on the subject of memory, place, heritage and displacement at the Berlin Technical University, 2019.

• Served as a jury member for the competition of the Aleppo National Library, Aleppo, Syria, 2011. 

• Participated as a Jury member in Omrania's Student Competition, Jordan, 2010. 

• Presented a lecture titled “the Political Economy of the Constitution is Syria” at the London School of Economics, 2019.  Link >

• Presented two lectures at the conference organized by the London School of Economics on Political Economy and Governance in Syria, 2018. The first lecture was titled “Beyond Law 10: Economic and Social Challenges of Housing and Land Management in Post Conflict Syria” and the second lecture was titled “The Political Economy of Local Elections in Syria”.   Link >

• Moderated various technical sessions and conferences organized by UNESCWA, the German Oriental Institution, the American University in Beirut, the Finnish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and others, 204-2019.

• Briefed EU member States at a special event to discuss Prospects for future EU engagement in Syria on the side lines of a donor’s conference on the issue. The presentation focused on the key findings of a joint project developed in conjunction with the UN Habitat to map “The State of Syrian Cities”, 2018.

• Lectured at the International University of Architecture in Venice as part of the W.A.VE. series of lectures on: Syria- the Making of the Future. Lecture title was: “Syrian Cities and the Challenge of Reconstruction”. 2017.  Link >

• Presented a lecture titled “Challenges to the Syria Peace Talks: How Local Governance and the War Economy Shape the Prospects for International Diplomacy” at the Ash Center, the Harvard Kennedy School, 2016.  Link >

• Presented a Lecture titled “Local Resources and Civic Engagement during the Conflict in Aleppo” at the Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design Center in the University of Stuttgart, 2016.  Link >

• Presented a lecture titled “Cadasters, Property and the Creation of Modernity in the Levant” at the City Debates conference at the American University of Beirut, 2014.   Link >

• Presented a Lecture titled “Normalizing the City: Urban Politics and the Planning of the City of Aleppo” at the conference “Society, Politics and Architecture” at the Lebanese American University, Beirut, 2014.  Link >

• Delivered a presentation titled “Housing Policies and their Economic Impacts” at the Scientific Forum of the MEDIBAT 2013 international construction fair in Sfax, Tunisia.  

• Presented a paper titled “The Cultural Discourse on Regionalism in Urban Design: A Case Study on the Role of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture” at the City debates 2012 conference, American University of Beirut.  Link >

• Presented a paper titled “Economic Impact of Public Subsidy on Heritage Conservation” at the “First International Symposium on Conservation and Cultural Heritage Management in Monuments, Landscapes and World Heritage Sites”, Granada, 2011.   Link >

• Served as a keynote speaker at the graduation ceremony of the class 2010 for the IAM Bari University, Italy. 

• Presented a lecture titled "the Role of Civil Society in Development" at the conference organized by the Deir Zorr Chamber of Commerce: "the Development of the Jazeera and Eastern Region", Deir Zorr, 2010. 

• Served on the Scientific Committee of the Conferences "CSAAR 2008: Responsibilities and Opportunities in Architectural Conservation", and "Heritage 2011; Towards a Sustainable Survival of Cultural Landscapes" organized by the Center for the Study of Architecture in the Arab Region. 

• Presented a lecture titled “Impact of Public Finance on the Heritage Conservation Sector” (Arabic Language) at the Tarim Wednesday Cultural Lecture Series, Damascus, the Assad National Library, 2008. 

• Participated in the Arab Regional Conference for the Ten Year Review of the Progress of Habitat II; and presented the work of the Shibam Urban Development Project, Beirut, 2006. 

• Commissioned to present a paper titled "Tenure and Housing Rights: Case Study of the Syrian Arab Republic" in the Regional Expert Meeting organized by the UNESCWA In preparation to launch the campaign for secure tenure in the region, Cairo, 2003. 

• Presented a paper titled "Aspects of Historical Documentation: the Legal Framework of Using Local Cadastres" in the Conference on Re-evaluating Urban Heritage: Documentation, Rehabilitation and Preservation of Architecture and History, sponsored by the German Orient Institute, Tripoli, 2002. 

• Participated in the Symposium on the Medieval History of Bilad al-Sham, with a presentation titled “the Urban Development of Aleppo in the Early Mamluk Period”, the University of Damascus, Damascus, 2001. 

• Participated in the 8th Architecture and Behavior Colloquium “Architectural Education Today” and presented a paper titled “the Many Discourses of the Middle Eastern City”, sponsored by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Ascona, Switzerland, 2001. 

• Presented a paper titled “Urban Life in Old Aleppo” as part of the Conference “5000 Jahre Stadtentwicklung: Geplante und Erlebte Urbanitat in Zwei Kulturen”, in Oldenburg, Germany, 2000. 

• Presented a general lecture and the seminar paper: “the Valuation of Urban Heritage, Ethics of Rehabilitation”, as part of the lecture series of the Center for the Study of Built Environment, cosponsored by Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, Amman, Jordan, 2000. 

• Co-authored the paper: “Sustainable Urban Development: Prospects and Methods for Urban Planning”, presented at the regional conference on “City Planning, Urban Design and Legislation”, Lattakia, Syria, 1999. 

• Co-authored a paper titled “Contemporary Architecture of Syria”. The paper was presented at the Conference of “Architecture Re-introduced: New Projects in Societies in Change.” The conference was sponsored by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in Beirut, Lebanon, 1999. 

• Presented a paper titled “Urban Management of Historic Cities”, at the Second Urban Environmental Forum for the Arab States, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 1999. The paper was commissioned by UN – ESCWA as part of the regional expert meeting on urban management. 

• Presented a lecture titled “Sinan and Ottoman Architecture”, as part of the lecture series of the Archaeological Society of Aleppo, 1999. 

• Participated in the round table conference:”Strategies for the Conservation of Historic Urban Structures”, at the Oriental Institute of Beirut, Lebanon, 1999. 

• Participated as a visiting critic for a design course, at the American University in Beirut. The course involved developing architectural interventions in the old city of Aleppo, 1998.

• Participated in “Contemporary Architecture in the Middle East” a regional meeting cosponsored by the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and the Abdul Hameed Shoman Foundation, and presented a paper titled “Architecture in Syria: a Brief Review of a Practice”, Amman, Jordan, 1997.  

• Co-presented the lecture: “Accessibility of the Movement-Impaired: Technical Considerations,” the Order of Engineers and Architects, Aleppo, Syria, 1997. 

• Presented a lecture titled “Women as Patrons of Architecture in Islam,” at a meeting of the International Women’s Group, Aleppo, Syria, 1996. 

• Co-presented the lecture: “Historicism and Modernity in Arabic Architecture,” the Order of Engineers and Architects, Aleppo, Syria, 1995. 

• Presented a lecture titled “the Development of Postmodern Architectural Theory,” at the Order of Engineers and Architects, Aleppo, Syria, 1994. 

• Participated in consultations with the EU to assess the EU’s stabilization policies, organized by EPLO, February 2023.  Link >

• Member of different consultative platforms set by the UN Special Envoy for Syria and the UN ESCWA to assess the prospects of decentralization in post conflict Syria, 2022-2023. 

• Member of the Syrian Constitutional Committee, as part of the civil society’s Middle Third. Engaged as part of the small drafting body to mitigate and elaborate bridging solutions among the different political factions, 2019-present.

• Participated in various track 2 meetings bringing different Syrian stakeholders to develop ideas for peace and reconciliation as well as charting a political process to resolve the Syrian conflict. Meetings were organized by the Carter Center, Brookings Institute, the Center for Humanitarian Dialogue, NOREF, Swiss Peace, UNESCWA, the Geneva Center for Security Policy, the Omran Center, and the Instituto Affari Internazionali. 

• Served on the advisory board of the Refugee Teachers’ Academy hosted by the Issam Fares Center at the American University in Beirut’s, 2019.

• Served on the advisory board of the London School of Economics’ Conflict Research Programme, 2018-2020.  Link >

• Participated in the OSLO forum, a platform to bring decision makers and professionals in the field of peace and mediation every year to discuss developing in the field. 2017, 2018 and 2019.

• Participated in the National Dialogue Conference organized in Helsinki every two years to link the theory and practice of peace building and mediation focusing on different themes in every edition. Prepared background papers and presentation on these such as housing land a property, reconciliation, decentralization and knowledge development. 2014, 2015, 2017.  Link >   Link >

• Participated in the dialogue “Mediterranean Common Future” bringing in civil society actors from around the Mediterranean to discuss future direction in EU cooperation programs. The event was organized by Link 2007, in Rome, 2014. 

• Presented a testimony on the humanitarian outlook of the Syrian civil war and a framework for conflict transformation before a European Parliament panel organized by the S&D block within the EU Parliament, Brussels, 2013. 

• Served as a volunteer on the Board of Directors of the Wataniya Micro Finance Institution, A social enterprise regulated as per the mandate of the Central Bank of Syria (7 Million USD capital), Damascus, 2011 – 2013. Responsibilities included chairing the board, audit committee, and personnel committee.  

• Served as a member of the Advisory Committee of Mobaderoon, a civil society initiative started by the British Council in Syria, Damascus, 2011- present. The initiative comprises over 1000 volunteers throughout Syria working on issues of active citizenship, social peace and conflict resolution.  

• Moderated the national workshop for the promulgation of the National Decentralization Plan, Damascus, 2012. 

• Participated at the Aga Khan Award Regional Seminar, Alexandria, the Library of Alexandria, 2007. 

• Moderated the workshop for the preparation of the Project Planning Matrix (PPM) for the upcoming phase (2004-2007) of the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo (GIZ, previously GTZ), Aleppo, 2003. 

• Moderated a special session for the Aleppo City Council to define objectives, priorities of intervention, and development indicators for the newly elected Council for its next fouryear term, Aleppo 2003. 

• Moderated a workshop on the preservation of the Old Town of Jableh: a small historic city on the eastern Mediterranean coast, Jableh, Syria, 2000. Participants included the various private and public stakeholders. The workshop aimed at setting priorities for intervention and an outline for a heritage preservation code. 

• Moderated the workshop on the “Conditions for Urban Planning in Lattakia”, the adjoining event to the regional conference on “City Planning, Urban Design and Legislation”, Lattakia, Syria, 1999. Also, helped to draft final recommendations, and is currently serving on the Committee to follow up the implementation of conference recommendations. 

• Moderated the three-day workshop: “the Streets of Aleppo: Problems and Prospects”, attended by the Governor, Mayor, Traffic Officers and Municipal Managers to coordinate public works in the streets of the City of Aleppo, Syria, 1997. 

• Moderated the workshop: “Building Permit Procedures for the Historic District in Aleppo” at the Engineers and Architects Syndicate, Aleppo, Syria, 1996. 

• Served, as facilitator and contributor, on several meetings related to channeling international aid and cooperation programs to Syria and Yemen. 

• Participated in the Conventions and Conferences Committee at the Engineers and Architects Syndicate, Aleppo. Activities included selecting and organizing seasonal lecture series, August 1995 – 1997. 

• Served yearly at the Career Day Professional Presentations at the International School of Aleppo. Also, prepared introductory presentation on Architecture and Archaeology for elementary level students. 

• Prepared a presentation on “the history of women patrons of architecture in Islam”, for the Women’s League of ICARDA, 1995.

• Elected as Student Representative to the Board of Directors of the University Cooperative Society, the largest independent bookstore in the State of Texas, Austin, Texas, 1990 - 1991. Responsibilities included participation in supervising management performance, labor negotiations, and mitigating hostile corporate takeover. 

• Volunteered with several charities and social organizations in Aleppo, Syria and Austin, Texas. 

• Hallaj, O. A., et al; 2023. A Roadmap for the Engagement of the EU with Syrian Civil Society. Brussels: The European Union.  Link >

• Al-Zoubi, Z.; Hallaj, O. A.; Al-Zoubi, S.; Hallaj, J.; 2022. The Making of Syria’s Administrative Divisions’ Map: One Hundred Years of a Problematic Relationship Between the Centre and the Periphery. London: London School of Economics.  Link >

• Ramadan, M.; Hewijeh, F.; Hallaj. O. A.; Salahieh; S. and Diab, M.;  2021. The Status of Gender Equality and Women’s Rights in Syria: Mapping the Terrain. Beirut: The Common Space Initiative.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2021. “Formality, Informality, and the Resilience of the Syrian Political Economy”. Geneva: The Geneva Center for Security Policy.  Link >

• Childress, M., Mustafa, S., Hallaj, A., Berning, C. and Tan, E. 2021. “How Can Citizens’ Perception of Land Tenure Security Contribute to Land Governance Reforms in the Arab Region?: Insights and Issues from Prindex Survey Results”. London: Prindex.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2019. “Beyond Law 10: Economic and Social Challenges of Housing and Land Management in Post Conflict Syria” and “The Political Economy of Local Elections in Syria”. Lecture summaries. In R. Turkmani, M. Theros and S. Hadaya eds. Political Economy and Governance in Syria: Presentations from the Political Economy and Governance Conference Organized at LSE 3-4 December 2018. London: Conflict Research Programme, London School of Economics and Political Science.   Link >

• Alzoubi, Z., Iyad, K., Othman, M. Alnahhas, H. and Hallaj, O. A. 2019. Reinventing State: Health Governance in Syrian Opposition-Held Areas. Beirut: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A, et.al. 2017. “Urban Housing and the Question of Property Rights in Syria”. Syrian Echoes.  

• Mark, S. S, Hallaj, O. A. and Rintakoski, K. 2017. “Land Reform and Local Governance in National Dialogue Processes”. In Erika Paakkinen and Otto Turtonen eds. The Third Conference on National Dialogues: Conference Report. Helsinki: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A., 2017. "Geographies of Absence: Radicalization and the Shaping of the New Syrian Territoriality," New England Journal of Public Policy: Vol. 29: Iss. 1, Article 10.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2015. “Impacto económico de las subvenciones públicas para la conservación del patrimonio urbano,” in Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalifec/ Real de la Alhambra ed. Conservación ygestión cultural enmonumentos, paisajes ysitios patrimonio mundial: Superando los retos de la conservación en el siglo xxi.la Alhambra: estudio de caso. Granada: Patronato de la Alhambra y Generalifec/ Real de la Alhambra.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2015. “The Cultural Discourse: On Regionalism in Urban Design and the Role of the Aga Khan Award for Architecture”, in R. Saliba, ed., Re-Conceptualizing Boundaries: Urban Design in the Arab World. London: Ashgate.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A., Ababsa, M., Karam, K. and Knox, R. 2015. “Decentralization in the Mashrek Region: Challenges and Opportunities”, Platforma.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2015. “The balance-sheet of conflict: criminal revenues and warlords in Syria”, Clingendael.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2015. “al-Yaman: baina jazr al-wahdah wa mad ‘istirda’ al-‘asha’er”. In S. Attallah and M. Harb, eds., al-sultat al-mahaliyah wa al-khadamat al-‘ammah: taqiym al-lamarkaziyah fi al-‘alam al-‘arbi. Beirut: Lebanese Center for Policy Research. (Arabic Text). 

• Hallaj, O. A. 2014. “Syria, an Eye on Peace: Assessing Options and Entry Points for Peace, Building and National Dialogue”, in C. Collén, ed., National Dialogue and Internal Mediation Processes: Perspectives on Theory and Practice, Helsinki: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2013. "Building Crafts in the Modern World", in Mohsen Mostafavi ed., Architecture is life, Baden, Switzerland, Lars Müller Publishers.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2010. "On Advocacy", in Mohsen Mostafavi ed., Implicate Explicate, Baden: Switzerland, Lars Müller Publishers.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2009. "Resolving Conflict Brick by Brick", in Indian Architect and Builder, January.   Link >  

• Hallaj, O. A. 2007. "The Process of Valuation of Urban Heritage: Comparative Analysis of Aleppo, Syria, and Shibam, Yemen", in G. D. Khoury, N. Méouchy, eds. Etats et sociétés de l’orient arabe, Paris: Geuthner.  Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2003. "Tenure and Housing Rights: Case Study of the Syrian Arab Republic", Study on Housing Policies and Security of Tenure in the ESCWA Region, New York: United Nations.   

• Hallaj, O. A. 2003. "Urban Development for a World Heritage Site: Shibam, Hadhramawt, Yemen", Trialog, Vol. 76, No. 1.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2001. "Decentralization and the Emerging Role of Municipalities in Syria”, Decentralization and the Emerging Role of Municipalities in the Escwa Region, New York: United Nations. 

• Hallaj, O. A. 2000. “Mankali Bugha Moschee”, “Husrev Pasha Moschee”, “Action Area Planning”, and “Die Religiosen Stiftungen – Waqf”, in B. Bollmann ed., Damascus – Aleppo: 5000 Jahre Stadtentwicklung in Syrien, Oldenburg: Staatliches Museum fur Naturkunde und Vorgeschichte.   Link >

• Hallaj, O. A. 2000. “Trends in Syria’s Construction Industry: A New Role for the Private Sector”, in German Arab Trade, Nov. – Dec., Vol. 51 No. 5. 

• Hallaj, O. A. 1999 “Bimaristanat halab”, in T. I.  Kayyali, tarikh al-tibb wa al-atibba’ fi halab al-shaba’. Aleppo. (Arabic Text). 

• Hallaj, O. A. 1999 “Inscribing Architecture”, in Bizri, A. ed., Arab Calligraphy in Architecture, Beirut. 

• Hallaj, O. A. 1998. “Housing Technology and the Mediation of Ornament”, IASTE Working Paper Series, No. 107. 

• Sturzbecher, K., Windelberg, J. and Hallaj, O. A. eds. 1998. The Development Plan for the Old City of Aleppo, Aleppo: the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo. 

• Hallaj, O. A. ed. 1997. The Action Area Plan No. 1: Dakhel Bab Qinnisreen, Aleppo: the Project for the Rehabilitation of the Old City of Aleppo.