In a pioneering approach grounded in experiential learning and applied practice, the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA), in partnership with United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG), concluded an advanced training program to certify Palestinian trainers in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The program brought together ten Palestinian municipalities that are members of APLA’s SDG Localization Taskforce.
This training marked the culmination of a year-long, systematic capacity-building process jointly launched by APLA and the UCLG Learning Team. Throughout the program, participants completed a series of intensive online modules covering localization tools and participatory learning methodologies. Having successfully met all theoretical and practical requirements, they advanced to the final applied phase during this concluding in-person training.
As the final stage of a comprehensive program designed to build national expertise capable of leading the SDG localization process within local governments, participants took the lead in facilitating complete training sessions before UCLG experts and partners. Upon completion, they were awarded the UCLG Certified Trainer Diploma, becoming the first Palestinian cohort to attain this level of international accreditation.
The five-day intensive training, held across Catalonia, combined theoretical and practical learning components. Participants engaged with the UCLG headquarters and visited leading Catalan municipalities — such as Granollers and Barcelona — where they took part in specialized workshops on urban resilience, climate action, and decentralized cooperation.
The program also featured interactive sessions on integrating the SDGs into local planning, hands-on exercises using participatory learning tools (SDG Games), and field visits to advanced urban and environmental sites — including rainwater harvesting reservoirs, wastewater treatment systems, solar energy farms, safety and emergency centers, and urban green zones — providing participants with a practical understanding of how cities have transformed environmental policies into tangible practices adaptable to the Palestinian context.
This training represents a qualitative milestone in APLA’s efforts to build sustainable national capacities for SDG localization. Through it, APLA has established a core group of certified Palestinian trainers capable of transferring knowledge and applying it within municipalities, thereby promoting resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability in Palestinian local governance.
The training was implemented with the support of the Local Government Reform Program (LGRP) of the GIZ.
