The number of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLR) -a monitoring tool of Sustainable Development Goals at the local level- from the MEWA region continues to increase day by day. Following the recently completed VLRs of Izmir and Sultanbeyli, and most recently Karatay, Istanbul’s Fatih district has also started its preparations for the 2022 reporting process. In this regard, the Training on Local Monitoring of Sustainable Development Goals was organized by UCLG-MEWA, as the first step of Fatih Municipality’s reporting initiative.
The two-day workshop, which started with the opening remarks of Mehmet Ergün Turan, Mayor of Fatih and Mehmet Duman, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General, included presentations on SDGs, interactive events, and the alignment of SDGs with municipal activities. As part of the training, presentations were made on the SDG background, transition from the Millennium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals, Habitat process and the New Urban Agenda. The training aimed to raise awareness of heads of departments within Fatih Municipality on SDG localization and reporting. As a result of the alignment of SDGs with municipal activities, a preliminary SDG map of Fatih Municipality was produced. With this training program, the preparations for Fatih’s Voluntary Local Review for 2022, which will be carried out in coordination with Fatih Municipality, were launched.