APLA Organizes a Youth Training in Dura on Environment and Sustainable Development Goals

Within its central role in supporting youth initiatives and linking them to national sustainable development policies, the Palestinian Association of Local Authorities (APLA), in partnership with Dura Municipality and its Youth Council, implemented an intensive three-day training program titled “Sustainable Development Goals and Contemporary Environmental Issues.” The training took place at Dura International Stadium with the participation of 63 young men and women.

Trainer Oday Qabaja delivered sessions over two days that introduced participants to the global framework of sustainable development as defined by the 2030 Agenda, explaining the distinction between overarching goals, detailed targets, and measurable indicators. He also reviewed the Palestinian national experience in this field, addressing issues that directly affect local realities such as climate change and climate justice, with a focus on Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and Goal 13 (Climate Action) as key pillars for empowering local governments and communities to protect the environment and strengthen climate resilience.

The training featured a rich practical component of interactive activities and educational games designed to turn abstract concepts into real-life experiences. Participants engaged in team challenges, memory games, and SDG-matching exercises, promoting teamwork, critical thinking, and creativity.

To highlight the role of youth as active partners in environmental protection and sustainable development, the program concluded with a field tree-planting activity along Bir Al-Wad promenade, where trainees and community volunteers planted over 150 diverse seedlings. This activity embodied the transition from awareness to action and demonstrated how youth initiatives can create tangible impacts by enhancing green cover and improving the environmental landscape in Palestinian communities.

This initiative forms part of APLA’s ongoing efforts to implement its SDG Localization Plan and falls within the framework of the Community Engagement Program, designed to strengthen citizen participation in development processes and bridge the gap between communities and local authorities in decision-making.

The activities were implemented under the project “Empowering Palestinian Communities to Utilize Sustainable Development Opportunities”, supported by the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel).

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