Hi Esri Community Members!
I’m excited to share my GIS Day 2025 event recap and highlight how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) played a central role in supporting a community initiative focused on understanding and reducing the drivers of irregular migration.
This year, we organized an educational seminar aimed at raising awareness among youth and adults about the risks of irregular migration and presenting practical alternatives through supporting small industries and vocational training opportunities. The event was held under the supervision of local government leadership, with participation from development agencies, financial institutions, NGOs, project managers, teachers, and community members.
One of the main highlights of the event was showcasing how GIS provides real decision-support value in addressing complex social and economic challenges. As the GIS Engineer in the project, I (Mohamed Tarek) led the geospatial analysis work by developing an integrated workflow that included accurate spatial data preparation, linking geospatial information with socioeconomic indicators, and performing a comprehensive Suitability Analysis to identify optimal locations for carpentry workshops, metal workshops, and other light-industry opportunities. I also developed heat-map models to visualize migration-pressure zones and built a spatial model to recommend the best location for a new vocational training center that maximizes accessibility and impact while reducing pressure on major cities.
The maps and analytical outputs presented during the event demonstrated that GIS is not just about making maps—it's about making better decisions, guiding smarter investments, and reducing the underlying drivers of migration. Through GIS, we showed how spatial thinking can directly support sustainable development and create better opportunities for local communities.
I’d be happy to hear how others celebrated GIS Day this year!
Feel free to share your experiences, event photos, insights, or GIS success stories.
Happy GIS Day, everyone!
Mohamed Tarek
GIS Engineer
