The event witnessed the signing of the "Participatory Greening of Neighborhoods" project agreement between the Institute and the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development. This project aims to support the Institute's green activity initiatives across Arab cities. His Highness welcomed the guests of the Institute from the Arab cities at the beginning of his speech, highlighting the role of these cities in preserving and producing culture and civilization, from which the world has drawn inspiration in the arts of urban planning and city design.

His Highness expressed his delight in announcing a new launch for the Arab Urban Development Institute, a prestigious establishment supported by the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with Riyadh as its headquarters, leading the development and modernization phase of Arab cities to reclaim their urban and developmental standings. He pointed out that Riyadh has become a global center for knowledge and development due to a renaissance and modernization process that has drawn global attention and trust, culminating in the selection of Riyadh to host Expo 2030.

He emphasized that the Institute's strategic plan is intended to support its transformative role and fields of operation to be more responsive and supportive of the member cities in light of the Institute's limited resources and the developmental needs and aspirations of those cities. He mentioned that this step required an analysis of the current situation, and drew from a comprehensive survey conducted by the Institute involving municipalities, experts, and organizations, in addition to attracting new human expertise along with regional and international experts, to identify developmental challenges and opportunities as well as aspirations of cities concerning the Institute's role.

The President called upon partners from member cities, municipalities, international organizations, universities, and those interested in urban development to collaborate and participate in the Institute's programs and activities. He looked forward to the Institute and its partners delivering the anticipated benefits and positive impacts on the developmental trajectory of cities, hoping that the coming years would bring prosperity and growth to all Arab cities.

Dr. Anas Al-Mogheri, the General Director of the Arab Urban Development Institute, presented the key highlights of the Institute’s 2025 strategy, noting that the preparatory work on the details of the strategy began in late 2022 under the direction of His Highness. The plan aims to address the different developmental challenges and opportunities in Arab cities and municipalities and align with modern trends in urban development. The strategic plan focused on restructuring the Institute's programs and activities to meet the needs of partners and beneficiaries from the member organizations of the Arab Cities Organization. It emphasized improving communication channels with partners through updating the Institute's website, as well as establishing mechanisms for content distribution and activities on social media and forging a set of regional and international partnerships to implement projects within the new strategic framework. This dynamic led to the strategy bringing forth 13 initiatives across three trajectories represented in urban policies, training and capacity development, and partnerships.

The ceremony also included visual presentations that provided an overview of the Institute and its aspirations for leadership in the development of Arab cities. This included a visual presentation titled "Why Do You Love Your City?" alongside programs and projects of the Institute's 2025 strategy. Some projects highlighted included the regular newsletter project “Our Cities,” “Cities Plus” project, the innovation and urban management program, and the Arab Urban Development Gateway project. Additionally, there was an accompanying exhibition titled "Living the City," showcasing aspects of the life and civilization of Arab cities.