Picture:Lehi Illescas

This month, the Government of Paraná presented the project of the University of Mayors to mayors who are presidents of regional associations of municipalities in the State. The proposal aims to expand the integration between the State and municipalities with a focus on stimulating and accelerating mechanisms for the implementation and local monitoring of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Paraná.

The action, coordinated by the General Superintendence for Economic and Social Development (SGDES), a body linked to the Civil House, seeks to train leaders of Paraná municipalities through a hybrid course (online and face-to-face), with the support of a platform developed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (Unitar) and the World Family Organization (WFO).

The course will last nine months, with two weekly meetings scheduled. The mayors of the 399 municipalities in Paraná will be invited to participate and the certification will be given by Unitar.

The official launch of the knowledge platform, with the presentation of the master class, will take place between the 28th and 30th of June, at the headquarters of the United Nations (UN), in Geneva, Switzerland, and will be attended by 40 municipal leaders of the State and the Association of Municipalities of Paraná (AMP). Technical visits to bodies linked to the UN complement the schedule of activities.

The University of Mayors will count on different aspects, working on training in municipal management, the elaboration of projects to obtain international non-refundable resources and the transfer of updated information on projects of organizations such as Unicef, UN-Habitat, ILO, among others.

“Participants will have access to the best in the world. There are non-refundable resources available to finance the development of municipalities, but there is a lack of qualified projects to obtain these funds”, said the vice-president of Cedes.

“Innovative and pioneering Paraná involves cities. The course is a chance to give a voice to municipalities at an international level”, added Deisi Kusztra, President of the WTO.

More information can be found here.