On the 14th of May 2020 from 03:00 pm to 04:30 pm CEST, the UCLG Peace Prize Secretariat and The Development Partners Network on Decentralisation and Local Governance (DeLoG) will jointly conduct a webinar on pathways for local authorities to deal with protracted urban violence.
The webinar is open to public. To register, please click here.
Around the world, many local authorities in urban areas find themselves challenged by violent crime, that often has had an impact on urban services and (social) infrastructure for decades. This trend is reflected in the relatively high degree of applications for the 2019 UCLG Peace Prize that relate to this theme. In order to share experiences and engage in dialogue, the webinar will focus on how local authorities deal with the challenge of protracted urban violence and how they address this in a fragile urban context.
The webinar will take stock of a variety of initiatives in the field and discuss policy recommendations for local authorities. Among others, it will feature speakers from the DeLog Network, the Peace in Our Cities Campaign, the Safer Cities Programme (UN-Habitat), and the World Forum on Cities and Territories for Peace, UNDP, and the UCLG Peace Prize.
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. 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.
- Mexico City will present the World Forum on Cities and Territories of Peace, which will be hosted in this city in 2021, and is being co-organised by several cities, associations of local governments (UCLG, Metropolis, UCCI), and UN Agencies, with UNDP as part of the technical secretariat.
- The Institute of Human Rights, Democracy, Culture of Peace and Non-Violence (DEMOSPAZ) will present their methodology to conduct a participatory diagnosis on urban violence and peace. The methodology was originally applied in the city of Madrid, and with the support of UNDP, has later on being adapted to and shared with other cities (Sucre, Bolivia; Montevideo, Uruguay; and Praia, Cape Verde).
- 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 that remain unanswered during the webinar will be shared with the speakers for written replies.
