The training of trainers on the SDG Localization Module 2: Planning for change with the SDGs for municipal staff was conducted during the UCLG-MEWA Executive Bureau Meeting 2025 on May 29 in Aksaray, Türkiye. The meeting was co-hosted by UCLG-MEWA and Aksaray Municipality and organized in cooperation among UCLG-MEWA, Aksaray Municipality, UCLG Learning, and UN-Habitat.
The training welcomed more than 40 participants from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Palestine, Jordan, and Iran. The participants were exposed to different aspects of the Strategic Planning Cycle and Applying SDGs to Urban Planning and Management, besides providing an interactive atmosphere with several SDG games.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Ali Murat Duman said, “Localizing the SDGs is not just an ambition but a necessity. With five years left, we must accelerate our efforts, ensuring that “No one and No Place is left behind.” Let this training catalyze achieving our shared goal.”
UCLG Deputy Secretary General Sara Hoeflich, in her address, highlighted the importance of meticulous planning cycles and management in alignment with the SDGs and stressed the role of local governments in localizing the Agenda 2030.
In the poster presentations showcasing the local SDG practices, Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, Tehran Municipality, and Karatay Municipality exhibited their best practices through SDG Localization approach, challenges, and lessons learned.
The six-hour comprehensive training concluded with a felicitation ceremony where certificates were distributed among participants, presented by Mayor of Aksaray, Dr. Evren Dinçer, and UCLG-MEWA Secretary General Dr. Mehmet Duman.