The National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) upheld its tradition this year by awarding 12 winning municipalities in the Best Practice Program (BPP) competition.
During the sixth annual national conference, the projects of the following municipalities were identified as the best practices of BPP for 2022-2023:
1.Lagodekhi – Youth for the Future – category: Youth Policy Implementation and Promoting Youth Participation;
2. Batumi – Municipal Transformation Portfolio – category: Local Economic Development Planning and Implementation of Participatory Economic Development Models.
3. Ambrolauri – Implementation of Municipal Programs Tailored to the Well-being of Children and Families with Children Living in Ambrolauri Municipality Based on Needs Assessment – category: Child-Oriented Social Programs, Safeguarding and Protecting Child’s Rights.
4. Oni – Promotion of Citizens’ Involvement in the Decision-Making Process at the Local Level in the Municipality of Oni – category: Citizen Participation, Transparency of Local Budgeting Process, and Accountability.
5. Zugdidi – Paper and Cardboard Recycling (Separation and Recycling – Sale) – category: Municipal Solid Waste Management and Promotion of the Circular Economy Model.
6. Zugdidi – Social Service of Free Movement – Individual Mobility of People in Need – category: Participatory Social Programing, Increasing the Efficiency and Accessibility of Municipal Social and Healthcare Programs.
7. Kutaisi – Sports Development Concept – category: Cooperation with International Donors and Obtaining International Funding For Development Projects.
8. Senaki – Grant Competition Supporting the Ideas of People with Disabilities and Their Family Members, Generating Income, and Promoting the Active Involvement of People with Disabilities in Public Activities – category: Human Rights Protection at the Local Level, Promoting Anti-Discriminatory and Inclusion.
9. Poti – Summer Youth Film School – category: Pre-School Education, Out-of-school Education, and Municipal Adult Education Programs.
Today, as part of the European Council project, the municipalities of Dedoplistskaro, Dmanisi, and Ozurgeti were recognized and awarded for programs, implemented in their respective territories and aimed at protection of human rights.
The winner municipalities were identified by the steering committee of the BPP, based on the recommendations of the evaluation commission. The commission comprised of representatives from the public and non-governmental sectors, as well as experts in the relevant field.
It’s worth noting that, in comparison to previous years, a record-breaking number of 67 applications were submitted for the 14 thematic categories selected for the 2022-2023 competition. 12 projects were recognized as successful and exemplary practices.
At the large national conference hosted at the “Holiday Inn Tbilisi”; hotel, attendees were representatives from central and local authorities, non-governmental sector, international organizations, international development agencies, as well as leadership of Georgian municipalities and recognized experts in the field.
The event was organized with the support of the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative “Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG),” the Danish Government, as well as the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ).
The National Association of Local Governments of Georgia, has been implementing the BBP with the support of donor organizations since 2018. This initiative, acknowledged by the Council of Europe, serves as a recognized tool for identifying successful practices of good governance and facilitates their dissemination.