The Sao Paulo Housing Unit in Brazil (Secovi/SP) is organizing the International Forum on Urban Development to be held in the city on September 21st and Beirut will be their first topic of discussion:

Specialists from Brazil and the world over will show models of cities where real estate intelligence was used in favour of urban development. According to businessman Basilio Jafet, the development vice president of Secovi/SP, in spite of having been devastated by decades of wars, the historical centre of Beirut is now one of the most notable examples of revitalization and reconstruction.

Could his family tree, with roots extending deep into Lebanon, been a factor in his decision to push Beirut to the forefront of the event? Well in any case, its always good to hear Beirut discussed in a positive environment though I know many who would disagree in referring to the development of Beirut Central District as “real estate intelligence … in favor of urban development”.

Jafet was a member of a group of 20 Brazilian businessmen that visited Lebanon in January this year, and was very impressed with the city. “Beirut is experiencing a renaissance and is one of the greatest examples of reconstruction of the last decades,” he said.

Beirut, the capital and largest city in Lebanon, will be the first case to be presented to participants of the International Forum on Urbanism in Sao Paulo, Brazil.