Omar Degan was born and grew up in Turin, Italy and is a Somali architect who holds a BA in Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Turin, and an MSc (Hons) in Architecture for Sustainability from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). He is the founder and principal of DO Architecture and Design, an architecture firm based in Mogadishu, which specializes in sustainability, emergency architecture and post-conflict reconstruction. After an international career, Omar returned permanently to his ancestral home Somalia to support the post-conflict reconstruction process. The reclamation of priorly existing public spaces and gardens, and the establishment of new ones is a major focus of his practice. Omar’s BIPOC Hort lecture ‘Public Spaces for Conflict Mitigation’ will center on common green spaces in upgrading post-conflict zones, and the broader roles of public space design in allaying gender, class and internecine animus. BIPOC Hort is honored to have Mr. Degan as the third and final speaker in our first public lecture series. Learn more about him at www.degan-omar.com. Registration and fee information will be shared at a later date.