Date: 7-11 April 2014
Place: Aichi and Gifu, Japan
Upon the request from the Council of Kuching City South, UNCRD conducted a training course on "Endogenous Regional Development through Community Initiatives" from 7 to 11 April in Aichi and Gifu Prefectures, Japan. This training course was specifically designed for the needs of the Council, taking into account the current condition in Kuching City South and other two municipalities in Sarawak State, Malaysia. The training course was offered to twenty-two participants including Mayor Dato Chan, Mayor of Miri City, and Chairman of Padawan Municipal Council as well as senior council officials and community leaders in Kuching City South, with all the cost born by the requesting entity and other two municipalities.
Objectives
- to enhance each participant's understanding about EnRD to identify applicable policy and/or initiative options for promoting EnRD in the context of the City of Kuching South;
- to expose participants to actual cases and experiences of EnRD through visiting and exchanging opinion with local governments and communities in Aichi and Gifu Prefectures; and
- to deepen each participant's understanding of the importance of community awareness-raising for EnRD and enhance skills and know-how of community participation in project planning and implementation.
Participants
22 participants including Mayor of Kuching City South, Mayor of Miri City, and Chairman of Padawan Municipal Council as well as senior council officials and community leaders from Kuching City South
Course Contents
This Course introduced theory and practical experience of Endogenous Regional Development (EnRD) approach to participants through visiting five case examples of Chita, Toyota, Asuke, Meiho, Hachiman in the Chubu Region. The programme puts an emphasis on exchange of opinions with municipal government officials, community leaders, and residents to enable participants to understand how EnRD is planned and implemented in respective cases. They made field study visits to Toyota City, which is developing a smart city together with citizens and the private sector, notably Toyota Motor Corporation, but also with many other companies, while promoting rural development in Asuke district in the city. Chita City, for its collaborative approach between citizens and the City Government for community development; and Gujo City, specifically, Meiho and Hachiman for an example of public-private joint ventures for local revitalization as well as community-led improvement of living environment utilizing historical and natural resources.
Outputs
After they return to their home country, they assimilated and digested what they had learned from the training course. Finally, as the final output of the course, Kuching City South has formulated and submitted to UNCRD an official report which comprises three action plans for resolving development issues and problems based on the EnRD approach. UNCRD continues to provide web-based and e-mail consultations to technically support implementation of these action plans.