For the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG), the sustainable development goals are key for the future. In 2016, VVSG has organized information sessions for civil servants and aldermen of Flemish municipalities. In April 2017, the association kicks of a pilot project on integrating the SDGs into local policy making.

With sights set on the local elections in October 2018, VVSG will support about 20 Flemish municipalities to incorporate the SDGs into local policies: what are they doing already, where lie the gaps and how can they move forward in the future. To offer the best guidance possible, VVSG will work together with external partners, such as the Flemish government, the provinces and Instituut voor de Overheid (KU Leuven). The outcome of the project will be a booklet with guidelines on consolidating the SDGs in local policy making, available for all 308 Flemish municipalities.

VVSG has already developed a lot of material on localizing the SDGs:

• The publication 'Local support for global challenges', with information on the 17 SDGs and their targets and what local governments can do to achieve them: http://www.vvsg.be/Internationaal/Noord-Zuid/Documents/A4-TI_PublicatieDoelstellingen_0305%20EN.pdf
• An animation film on localizing the SDGs, available in four languages: https://vimeo.com/196885544 (EN), https://vimeo.com/196885711 (FR), https://vimeo.com/194353249 (NL), https://vimeo.com/199832467 (ES)
• The declaration of commitment 'Local goals, global focus', available in four languages: http://www.vvsg.be/Internationaal/Noord-Zuid/Documents/20160302_SDG%20verklaring%20Versie3_EN.pdf (EN), http://www.vvsg.be/Internationaal/Noord-Zuid/Documents/20160302_SDG%20verklaring%20Versie3_FR.pdf (FR), http://www.vvsg.be/Internationaal/Noord-Zuid/Pages/Engagementsverklaring-%27global-goals%2c-local-focus%27.aspx (NL), http://www.vvsg.be/Internationaal/Noord-Zuid/Documents/20160302_SDG%20verklaring%20Versie3-SP.pdf (ES)
• A gamebord helping local governments disclose what actions and activities they are undertaking already which can be linked to the SDGs
• SDG banners