The Development Partners Network on Decentralisation and Local Governance (DeLoG) and VNG International jointly invite you to a webinar on pathways for local authorities to deal with protracted urban violence.

To register for the webinar, please click here.

Background:

Around the world, many local authorities in urban areas find themselves challenged by violent crime, which has impacted urban services and social infrastructure for decades. In order to share experiences and engage in dialogue, this webinar will focus on how local authorities deal with the challenge of protracted urban violence and how they address these challenges in fragile urban contexts.

The webinar will take stock of a variety of initiatives in the field and discuss policy recommendations for local authorities. Among others, speakers from the DeLoG Network, the UCLG Peace Prize, the Peace in Our Cities Campaign, the Safer Cities Programme and the World Forum on Cities and Territories for Peace will share their perspectives.

Main Speakers and Inputs:

• Daan Stelder, Project Manager at VNG International, will give an introduction to the background and rationale of the webinar.
• Juma Assiago, Coordinator for the Safer Cities Programme at UN-HABITAT, will share lessons learned on how local authorities can make or break the cycle of violence, building on 25 years of experience with the Safer Cities Programme.
• Óscar Escobar, Mayor of the City of Palmira in Colombia will share how the city’s authorities are working together to counter violence. Ranked as one of the most dangerous cities in the world in the past, the local authorities in Palmira have developed creative and effective initiatives to curb the violence, and the city has joined the Peace in Our Cities campaign. In the past Mr Escobar, the youngest Mayor of Palmira to date, has worked for Senator Clauda López as an economic advisor. In addition, he is the co-author of the book “Goodbye to the FARC! And now what?”.
• Amy Gill, Local Governance Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will present UNDP's and the City of Madrid's urban violence diagnosis programme. This programme has been implemented in La Paz, Montevideo and Praia. Reference will be made to the World Forum on Cities and Territories of Peace, which will be hosted in 2021 by Mexico City and for which UNDP will serve as part of the technical secretariat. Amy Gill holds a master of science (MSc) in Violence, Conflict and Development and has more than 13 years of professional experience in the field.
• Pilar Díaz is Deputy Councillor for International Relations at the Barcelona Provincial Council and has served as Mayor of Esplugues de Llobregat since 2006. She will elaborate on the importance of fostering social coexistence of local authorities in light of promoting a culture of peace. The Provincial Council of Barcelona is a member of the technical secretariat of the World Forum on Cities and Territories of Peace, as well as a core partner of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) Peace Prize, which Mrs Diaz will present in short.

During the webinar participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide live feedback through polls. Questions unanswered during the webinar will be shared with the speakers for written replies. The webinar will be open to the public. Therefore, please feel free to share this invitation with potentially interested partners in your network.

The webinar is jointly organised by the DeLoG Secretariat and VNG International.

Follow DeLoG on Twitter: @DeLoG_2030

Contact DeLoG at: www.delog.org