The Greater Amman Municipality concluded a five-day training course organized in Amman for members of the Arab local municipalities and Arab childhood institutions, focused on the child’s friendly city initiative. The course was organized in cooperation with the Arab Urban Development Institute (AUDI), the Middle East and North Africa Child Protection Initiative (MENA-CPI), and the Arab Gulf Program for the United Nations Development Fund (AGFUND).
Deputy Mayor of Amman, Eng. ‘Amer Al-Bashir praised the efforts exerted by AUDI in introducing the child’s friendly city initiative, which coincided with the launch of the institute’s book, “Towards Having Child’s Friendly Cities in the Middle East and North Africa”. Al-Bashir said the book is an important reference for those handling children’s affairs to help in creating child’s friendly cities. He called for all Arab municipal councils and towns to keep a version of the book at their offices.
Al-Bashir, meanwhile, said that he looks forward to see every participant in the training course applying its findings in making their cities more friendly and convenient for children. The course, he added, also helps in facilitating on Arab municipal councils and civil societies to establish a platform for child’s friendly cities, and prepare qualified cadres that able to put into operation all the required procedures and measures that turn Arab cities into child’s friendly ones.
President of Arab Urban Development Institute, Sheikh Abdullah Al-Nu’ayim, commented GAM’s contribution in that regard, and pointed to its achievements in making Amman the child’s friendly city. He also noted that Amman was chosen to train those who handle children’s affairs to instruct them on GAM’s model, being the first Arab municipal council that adopted the child’s friendly city initiative.
Both Al-Bashir Al-Nu’uayim handed the trainees certificates of appreciation for their active participation. The trainees thanked GAM and AUDI for organizing the course, and expressed their delight of the essential information they received, which will be applied upon their return to their respective countries.
It is worth mentioning that the training course is the first of its kind in the Arab world, and included scientific lectures and practical activities. Six Arab countries were represented in the training course; they are Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, and Sudan. Jordan was represented in the forum by members of the municipal councils of Fuheis, Karak, Ajloun and Salt.