Bethlehem 21

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Project Overview

Basic Information

Sustainable development

Project Outputs & Deliverables

T1: Securing and Maintaining Top Level Support

T2: Establishing an Effective Participatory Process

T3: Creating Baseline Community Profiles

T4: Developing Local Sustainability Action Strategies

Media Information

Bethlehem 21 Project

Bethlehem 21 project entitled ″Environmental Sutstainability for a Better Life: An Integrated Approach for Localizing Agenda 21 in the Bethlehem District″ is a Palestinian initiative responding to Chapter 28 of Agenda 21 whereby local authorities are called upon to undertake a consultative process to develop and implement a ″Local Agenda 21″ for and with their communities.

Agenda 21 is the comprehensive programme for action to achieve sustainable development agreed to by delegates from most countries of the world at the United Nations Conference on

Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit, which took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992.

Agenda 21 called upon local authorities, ″the level of governance closest to the people″, to take a course of action to implement that blueprint by entering into a consultative process (dialogue) with the citizens, local organizations and private enterprises and adopting ″a Local Agenda 21″.

Sustainable development as defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development is the "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs".

Latest News

Project Workspace

25/10/2008
Organizing a One Day National Conference

29/04/2008
Organizing a Meeting to Discuss the Various Aspects Related to Establishing an Industrial Zone in the Bethlehem Governorate

22/11/2007
The Visit of the External Monitor to the Project

Transferring the ArcGIS ArcView 9.2 Software to Local Councils

16/06/2007
Transferring the Personal Computers and the Developed GIS based Information Systems to Local Councils

29/05/2007
Organizing a Focus Group Meeting in Cooperation with Bethlehem Municipality

30/10/2006
The On-job Training for Selected Employees from the Targeted Local Authorities Started on 30 October 2006

18/10/2006
Holding the Kick-off Meeting for the On-job Training on GIS Techniques, Database Management and Environmental Monitoring

Conducting Preparatory Meetings with the Community-Based Organizations during September 2006

24/08/2006
Organizing the First Half-Yearly Project Meeting Gathering the Project Team with the Steering Committee Members

Project Outputs & Deliverables

Layman's Report

The layman's report provides a summary of project scope and objectives; a description of the project actions and results; an assessment of the socioeconomic and environmental impacts; and discussion on the transferability of project actions and results. The report is prepared in English and Arabic.

Media Information

The "Local Sustainable Development in the Bethlehem Governorate" Conference in the News

Ma'an News Agency                            25/10/2008
Palestine News Agency – WAFA         25/10/2008
Al Ayyam Newspaper                          26/10/2008
Al Quds Nespaper                                26/10/2008 Palestine News Network                      26/10/2008

25/08/2008
Press Release to Al-Quds Newspaper on the Community Visioning Forum that will Take Place in Al Khader (Arabic)

21/08/2008
Press Release to Al-Quds Newspaper on the Community Visioning Forum that will Take Place in Battir Village (Arabic)

29/7/2008
Press Release to Al-Quds Newspaper on the Community Visioning Forum that will Take Place in Beit Jala City (Arabic)

16/07/2008
Press Release to Al-Quds Newspaper on the Community Visioning Forum that will Take Place in Ed Doha City (Arabic)