NASSAU, Bahamas -- The Ministry of The Environment of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in conjunction with the Bahamas National Trust and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design (GSD) announce a one-day conference at the Sheraton Nassau Beach Resort (West Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas) on Friday, July 8, 2011.  An international and local group of practitioners, scholars, and legislators will address current environmental strategies and imagine future scenarios for the sustainable development of the Exumas, the chain of Bahamian islands that includes the Exuma Cay Land and Sea Park. The intention for this first exploratory event is to identify key issues and goals for a possible multiyear research initiative that will analyze the Exumas from environmental, social, economic, design, and planning perspectives. The conference program will feature presentations by The Rt. Hon. Hubert Alexander Ingraham, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, The Bahamas, and The Hon. Earl D. Deveaux, Minister of The Environment. The list of speakers also includes national and international experts on sustainability and planning and a number of Harvard University faculty. Mohsen Mostafavi, Dean of the Harvard University GSD, who will speak at the conference, explains that "Planning for the future of the Exumas presents the challenge of fostering the wellbeing of the region's people while preserving the unique ecology and natural beauty of the islands. We hope that questions raised at this conference will prompt significant research to address this challenge."

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