Part of the Open Classroom Series

As climate crises displace people around the world, what can be learned from Albaydha, a semi-nomadic rural community in Saudi Arabia whose grazing lands were destroyed by desertification? Offered in collaboration with the Dukakis Center's Open Classroom, this session will examine how participatory processes informed by Social Impact Lab (SIL) principles and frameworks have engaged over a thousand families in the design and implementation of a community-led resettlement initiative. The program employs sustainable building technologies and ecosystem regeneration while honoring traditional family structures and cultural practices. Lebanese social investor and human rights advocate Lynn Zovighian and SIL Director Rebecca Riccio will explain how their commitment to centering community members’ voices has led to this project being designated a national housing pilot for vulnerable communities in Saudi Arabia.

Moderator: Ted Landsmark, Distinguished Professor of Public Policy and Urban Affairs; Director, Kitty and Michael Dukakis Center for Urban and Regional Policy.

This event is part of the Social Impact Lab's weeklong series From Boston to Beirut: Reimagining Social Change in the Middle East. 

We recognize that members of our community will be observing Yom Kippur October 4-5 and wish you a meaningful holy day and fast. We will make the recordings of all events available on the event website as soon as possible so you can have access to the content. We also encourage students to attend one of the three student-only workshops with Lynn Zovighian on Thursday, October 6 and Friday, October 7.

Registration is required to attend in person or online.

To learn more and register, please click below.