APLA Organizes an International Virtual Seminar on Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs)

As part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the role of Palestinian local authorities as key partners in shaping and implementing the 2030 Agenda, APLA organized an international virtual seminar titled “The Voluntary Local Review: From Documentation to Implementation.” The session was held in partnership with the Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU) and the Global SDG Cities Initiative, as part of the Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF).

The seminar served as an international platform for knowledge exchange among representatives of Palestinian local authorities and experts from Turkey and Serbia, with more than 80 participants from diverse professional backgrounds. It aimed to highlight the strategic importance of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) as a tool enabling municipalities to articulate their developmental visions and establish direct engagement with global agendas — shifting from a position of compliance to one of active contribution.

The session opened with a presentation by Dr. Ahmed Jaber, SDG Localization Projects Officer at APLA, who outlined the union’s role in leading the SDG localization process within the Palestinian context. He emphasized APLA’s institutional approach to embedding localization as a participatory and integrated process — encompassing policy alignment, capacity building, development of practical toolkits, and launching digital platforms that strengthen documentation, monitoring, and communication.

The seminar featured a series of international case studies on VLR preparation and implementation. Ms. Irene Saadeh, Head of Sustainable Development and International Cooperation at Ramallah Municipality, presented Ramallah’s experience, illustrating how the VLR helped structure institutional vision and enhance coherence between local planning and global frameworks. Simten Inanç from the Istanbul Planning Agency and Miryam Jakic from Fatih Municipality shared insights from Turkey, underscoring the importance of citizen engagement and localizing indicators within urban programs. From Serbia, Assoc. Prof. Milena Branković of the University of Niš presented Niš Municipality’s experience, highlighting that impactful VLRs can be achieved even with limited resources when backed by strong commitment and participatory processes.

The seminar concluded with practical discussions addressing the main challenges faced by local authorities in advancing VLR efforts — including limited data availability, overlapping institutional mandates, and the need for skilled technical staff in planning and documentation. Participants emphasized APLA’s crucial role in enabling municipalities to embark on the VLR journey through a clear, structured national framework that aligns local realities with the global SDG agenda.

#APLA #VLR #SDGLocalization #MARUF25 #MarmaraMunicipalitiesUnion #LocalGovernance #SustainableDevelopment #SDGs #Palestine #GlobalCooperation