The MedCities network and the Knowledge Transfer Center (KTC) of Al Fayhaa, in partnership with the CoMun-GIZ program, the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) and the World Bank, are organizing the second Regional Seminar on "Implementation of Strategic Projects and Participatory Approach", on June 15-16, 2015, in Al Fayhaa, Lebanon.

The seminar is part of the activities of the KTC of Al Fayhaa, which serves as a reference point for the Mashreq in assisting cities developing urban strategic planning. At the same time this seminar is related to the objectives of the CoMun-GIZ program that aims to strengthen the capacity of cities in terms of local urban governance and participatory democracy; as well as the objectives of the CMI, which supports cooperation and knowledge exchange in the Mediterranean region.

The objective of the seminar is to gather municipalities of the Mashreq region and provide an opportunity for municipalities and other national institutions to learn from each other’s experience on urban planning initiatives and citizen participation in the field of cities development strategies. This regional dialogue encourages exchange of good practices on urban strategic projects and aims to support municipalities of the Mashreq as key players in shaping the future of their cities.

Participants consist of governors, mayors and representatives from municipalities in the Masreq, as well as representatives from the civil society and international organizations (UNDP, EU delegation, COOPI). Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, France and Spain will be represented. A total of 60 participants are expected to contribute to and benefit from this seminar.

The first day of the seminar consists of organizing round table discussions on several themes on urban strategy and participation including “City Development Strategies: a tool to transform municipal governance” and “The role of local actors in decision-making”. The various interventions will form a panel of cases from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. The second day will focus on exchanging practical experiences related to the implementation of urban strategies.

The CMI, the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona and the Barcelona City Council financially support this seminar.