Happyopolis – Urban health and well-being in the Arab world and Germany

­The first episode in this series is about buzzing and busy Berlin. And stress: the kind that comes from living in a dense and still growing city. Can we better protect the mental health and well-being of residents by minimizing stress factors? The capital of Germany has become a hotspot in the scientific study of urban stress and healthy cities.

Special guests of the first episode are: 

• 4:40 Prof. Dr. Mazda Adli, a psychiatrist and professor at the Department of Psychiatry and Neurosciences at the Charité – University Medicine Berlin. He is a social stress expert and explains how urban living can contribute to social stress in various ways. And what to do about it. 
• 22:30 Ulrike Gote, Senator for Higher Education and Research, Health, Long-Term Care and Gender Equality in the Berlin state government from 2021 to 2023. She speaks about the Governmental strategy Berlin Health City 2030/Gesundheitsstadt Berlin 2030.
• 35:00 AGYA alumnus Prof. Dr. Ahmed Hegazy, a practicing medical doctor and professor in the Department of Gastroenterology, Infectiology and Rheumatology, Charité – University Medicine Berlin. He talks about the difference in disease development between people living in urban and rural areas.

­In this episode, we take you on a journey to Hamburg, a city of makers and innovators! Hamburg is more than just a beautiful city — it's also leading a global revolution in urban self-sufficiency. Discover how Hamburg is pioneering the future as Germany's first FabCity, aiming to produce everything it consumes by 2054. This episode also dives into the unique ‘Second City Phenomenon’ and uncovers the surprising advantages it brings.

Special guests of the third episode are:

• 02:25 AGYA member Dr. Sonja Buxbaum-Conradi, economic geographer, senior research fellow at the Institute for Production Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies (LaFT) at the Helmut Schmidt University, Germany, and co-founder of the New Production Institute in Hamburg. She discusses the FabCity concept and Hamburg's efforts to localize production as it transforms into a fabrication city.
• 20: 57 AGYA alumna Prof. Dr. Julia Hauser, is a professor in global history from Kassel, Germany. She offers insights into the historical influence of waterways and ports on urban development, particularly their role in making cities more vulnerable to epidemics.
• 24:40 AGYA alumnus Dr. Amro Ali, a sociologist at the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, American University in Cairo, Egypt. He talks about the 'second city' or 'second capital' phenomenon. He explains how Hamburg, as Germany's ‘second city’ after Berlin, benefits from greater flexibility and less centralized bureaucracy, positioning it as a hub for creativity, technological innovation, and urban models like FabCity.

­In the second episode, we join you from Kuwait City. Built for the car due to its high temperatures in the summer, pedestrian infrastructure and public transportation has taken a bit of a back seat in this city. This has resulted in very high rates of physical inactivity and obesity. However, the winds of change are blowing, as public health and urban design with a focus on walkability have now taken center stage in the national agenda.

Special guests of the second episode are:

• 03:00, 21:56 & 28:43 AGYA member Prof. Dr. Mohammed Alkatan, Department of Physical Education & Sports, Public Authority for Applied Education & Training in Kuwait. He talks about the role of physical activity on our mental and emotional states.
• 09:52 H. E. Sheikha Intisar Al Sabah, Founder of Alnowair. She talks about an interesting initiative to encourage Kuwaitis to spend time outdoors, enjoy public natural spaces, and to move.
• 17:38 & 33:05 Dr. Saud Al Khaled, College of Architecture, Kuwait University. He provides insights into city design strategies for hot climates.  
• 25:36 AGYA alumnus Prof. Dr. Ahmad Sakhrieh, Department of Mechanical Engineering, American University of Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. He talks about his project on outdoor thermal comfort in cities under extreme temperature conditions.

­The fourth episode is about the vibrant metropolis Cairo, the fastest growing Arab city. It is known for its heavy traffic, noise, and pollution, and yet, Cairo is the place of some very promising initiatives to expand and modernize the public transportation system to make the city more sustainable and livable.

Special guests of the fourth episode are:

• 3:56 Houssam Elokda, the operations manager and master planning lead of the Happy Cities Initiatives. He speaks about the parameters of a happy city and how a well-designed public transport can improve city life.
• 20:19 AGYA alumna Prof. Dr. Maha Nasr, professor at the Department of Pharmaceutics, Ain Shams University, Egypt. She shares her daily driving experiences on Cairo’s city roads.
• 26:21 Mohammed Hegazy, the director and co-founder of Transport for Cairo. He talks about strategies to improve urban mobility in Cairo and other cities.