Organized for the units and departments working on water and sanitation management in the municipalities of Palestine, the Training Program on Wastewater and Municipal Water Systems for the Municipalities of Palestine took place on 1-6 May 2018, in Istanbul, Turkey.
Abdul Karim Al-Khatib, Consul General of Palestine in Istanbul, Turkey, Özkan Durmaz, Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey in Istanbul, Mehmet Duman, UCLG-MEWA Secretary General, Metin Akbaş, Deputy General Manager of ISKI, Vahap Doğan and Mehmet Sami Divleli, Deputy Mayors of Pendik Municipality; attended the start-off meeting of the program, co-organized by UCLG-MEWA, Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI), Union of Municipalities of Turkey (UMT) and Pendik Municipality.
“Water and Sanitation Identified As the Primary Area that the Palestinian Municipalities Need A Training On”
Following the workshop held by UMT, the Committee President, on 22 September 2017, in Avanos, Nevşehir, Turkey, the training program was organized as an activity of UCLG-MEWA Committee on Development Cooperation and City Diplomacy. In the Sister-Cities Workshop held on this date for the sister municipalities of Turkey and Palestine, the need to organize technical training programs for Palestinian municipalities emerged as a joint decision. Within this context and in line with the needs analysis study conducted for Palestinian municipalities, the issues of water and sanitation has been identified as the primary area that the Palestinian municipalities need a training on.
“22 Palestinian Municipalities and the General Directorate of Water and Sanitation in Palestine Participated in the Training Program”
Organized with the expertise support of ISKI, the program hosted 22 Palestinian municipalities and the representatives of the General Directorate of Water and Sanitation in Palestine, and provided experiences and practices from Turkey, on municipal water systems management and wastewater treatment. Following the theoretical and practical training program, the participants presented their project ideas in a session, which was specially designed to lay the foundation for matching the sister cities on project basis, in the forthcoming term.
At the closing of the program, the participants each were granted a certificate of participation.
All relevant local governments and departments in Palestine will benefit from the final training report as well as the photos and videos documented during the program. Works will be continuing for planning the next step of action.
Click here for photos from the training program.