The Department of Geography is organizing a scientific seminar titled “Visual Pollution and Its Impact on the Distortion of Urban Aesthetics

The Department of Geography at the College of Education for Humanities organized a scientific seminar entitled “Visual Pollution and Its Impact on the Distortion of Urban Aesthetics.” The seminar was delivered by Lecturer Dr. Mohammed Hussein Ghadhban, Assistant Lecturer Khalaf Fadhil Ali, and Assistant Lecturer Anas Hamid Hassan.

The speakers defined visual pollution as one of the most prominent non-material urban environmental problems, as it distorts the overall appearance of cities and negatively affects people’s perception of place and quality of life.

They reviewed the manifestations of this phenomenon in cities, including urban chaos, inconsistent building facades, random advertising billboards, accumulation of waste, and encroachments on sidewalks and roads. These factors lead to the loss of a city’s visual identity and its aesthetic balance.

The speakers also explained that the effects of visual pollution include increased feelings of discomfort and stress, a weakened sense of belonging to the place, as well as negative impacts on tourism and investment, and a decline in the overall quality of urban life.

Regarding solutions, they emphasized the importance of regulating construction and advertisements, adopting integrated urban planning, raising community awareness, improving sanitation services, and increasing green spaces within cities.

The seminar concluded by emphasizing that addressing visual pollution is a fundamental step toward improving the urban environment and enhancing the beauty and sustainability of cities.