Developing the capacities of local leaders to strengthen democracy is key to ensuring the local government reform in Cyprus meets the needs of citizens. This was the objective of a two-day workshop for sixty local leaders from municipalities and communities across Cyprus, organised in Limassol on 12 and 13 November 2024 by the Congress.
"These valuable Leadership Academy Programme trainings have equipped me with essential knowledge that I will share with my colleagues to implement the Local Government Reform efficiently for the benefit of our citizens," said President of the Union of Cyprus Communities Andreas Kitromilides.
The event marked the third stage of a programme launched in October 2023 as part of the project "Enhancing the Local Government Reform in Cyprus". It was organised in partnership with the Ministry of Interior, the Union of Cyprus Municipalities, and the Union of Cyprus Communities.
Participants engaged in sessions on strategic planning, evidence-based service delivery, effective local collaboration, and crisis preparedness. By practicing leadership and management skills, local officials benefitting from the programme become empowered to lead the ongoing reform and strengthen democratic processes in their communities and municipalities.
The Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance (CEMG) at the Congress implements projects and activities to promote Council of Europe standards and ensure implementation of Congress recommendations. This project is implemented by the CEMG and funded through a Voluntary Contribution by the Government of Cyprus, under the "Cyprus Recovery and Resilience Plan 2021-2026" financed by the European Union.
