Urb-Al info newsletter of Urb-Al programme. N° 24, first semester 2007.
Date: 2007-10-10
Institutions: EuropeAid Co-operation Office
Subjects: Latin America, action programme, cooperation policy, economic development, local authority, serial publication, town

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 1

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f
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ISSN 1725-0420

N°24

FIRST SEMESTER
2007

In this issue

From the last URB-AL Programme call for proposals (April 2006), 11 new joint
projects were selected: 6 type A and 5 type B projects. The coordinators of these
projects, in collaboration with their partners, have already begun to implement
their activities. This issue provides a brief presentation of some of these activities.

It is also a pleasure for us to present the Stuttgart experience. Following three years
of work coordinating the URB-AL 8 “Control of Urban Mobility”, the decision was
taken to continue working with its partners by creating the “Cities for Mobility”
network.

The Observatory for Local Decentralised Cooperation EU-LA (Spanish acronym
OCD) continues to gather all the information regarding this subject, to develop its
database and organise training courses. Work has been rounded out by a number
of publications.

The Documentation Centre for the URB-AL Programme (Spanish acronym CDPU)
ran a second training course targeting the coordinators of the URB-AL common
projects. This course, which met the expectations of the participants, took place in
Valparaiso in October 2006. Moreover, the task of compiling best practices is
progressing nicely and will be presented by the CDPU at the end of this year. 

The URB-AL programme, with its 13 theme-based networks and 188 joint projects,
has generated many examples of best practices. All of these experiences have been
presented at the Rosario Meeting organised by the European Commission to give
greater visibility to the Programme and its results and also to reflect on the
contribution made by local and regional policies to social and territorial cohesion.

Vittorio TONUTTI

EUROPEAID COOPERATION OFFICE – 
SECTOR HEAD B2

NEWSLETTER OF 
URB-AL PROGRAMME, 
European Commission
horizontal decentralised
cooperation programme for
cities, urban centres and
regions of European Union 
and Latin America

EUROPEAN COMMISSION 
EuropeAid 
Cooperation office 
Latin America Directorate

Valparaíso. Sight of the city from the sea.

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 2

JOINT PROJECTS SELECTED

CALL FOR PROPOSALS 2006 – 30 APRIL (REFERENCE EUROPEAID/113113/C/G)

Coordination of joint projects

Selected coordinator

Country

Project title  

TYPE A JOINT PROJECTS

DK

PER

ESP
ESP
URU

CHI

E-PRESUPUESTO; Tecnologías de la Información 
las Comunicaciones (TIC) como herramienta para fomentar 
la participación pública en la gobernanza municipal.
Cultura, relaciones étnicas y derechos humanos  
como intervención integrada en el contexto del presupuesto 
participativo en Municipalidades Rurales
Mi Pymes para todos 
ALFA Sociedad de la información y desarrollo local
Escuelas seguras. Promoción de buenas prácticas en 
convivencia escolar a nivel local
Espacios públicos y cohesión social

PROYECTOS COMUNES DE TIPO B
Project title 

Country

ITA
ITA

BR

PER

CHI

LA.DE.S - Laboratorios de Desarrollo Sostenible
DESURBAL: implementaciones de estrategias de  
comunicación/sensibilización y realización de actividades 
piloto para mejorar el impacto de la gestión de los 
desechos sólidos urbano en términos de reducción de los 
gastos socioeconómicos y de respeto por el medio ambiente
Sistema Inter-municipal de Capacitación en Planificación y 
Gestión Local Participativa
Gobiernos locales promueven la autodeterminación de las
mujeres a través de la inclusión laboral
Observatorio Latinoamericano de Seguridad Ciudadana

Municipalidad de Esbjerg

Municipalidad de Monobamba

Ayuntamiento de Córdoba
Diputación Provincial de Huelva
Intendencia de Colonia

Municipalidad de Peñalolén

Selected coordinator

Comune di Roma
Comune di Arezzo

Prefeitura de Porto Alegre 

Municipalidad de Independencia

Municipalidad de Valparaíso

TYPE A PROJECTS

Project No

R9-A2-06

R9-A3-06

R13-A4-06
R13-A9-06
R14-A1-06

R14-A3-06

Project No

R6-B3-06
R6-B4-06

R9-B1-06

R12-B3-06

R14-B2-06

Municipalidad de Monobamba: “Integration: Culture, ethnic relations 
and human rights as integrated intervention in the context of the 
participative budget in Rural Municipalities”

The overarching objective of the project is to analyse the
experiences  implemented  in  the  participating  munici-
palities  where  socio-economic  disparity  and  social
breakdown act as barriers to local integration processes
such as the Participative Budget.

TThe Mayor of the Municipalidad de Monobamba, Julio César

Mungi  Núñez,  gave  the  opening  address.  Following  those
words,  several  representatives  of  the  partner  countries  spoke
about  their  experiences:  Town  Hall  of  Santa  Cristina  D´Aro
(Spain);  Prefeitura  Municipal  de  Campina  Das  Missoes  (Brazil);
Municipality of Cantón Mejía (Ecuador); Comuna de Roma (Italy)
and the Universidad Nacional del Nordeste (Argentina).

Following  those  interventions,  joint  project  coordinator  José
Castillo Farneschi gave a progress report on the execution of the
project, explaining everything having to do with administrative-

financial  aspects,  important  agreements  concluded  with  part-
ners, compliance with the objectives of the URB-AL philosophy,
respect  for  horizontal  aspects  and  coordination  of  activities
during the two-year duration of the project.

Francisco Osorio Ibarra, Cooperation and International Relations
Advisor to the municipal coordinator, then made a presentation
addressing  the  need  to  broaden  and  deepen  popular  participa-
tion,  highlighting  the  importance  of  cooperation  programmes
such as the URB-AL programme for the development of interna-
tional cooperation between European and Latin American cities
and stressing that “… plurality is a marvellous expression which
underpins  economic  and  political  sustainability  and  democratic
plurality  and  represents  an  open  and  democratic  dialogue  bet-
ween Europe and South America.” He went on to highlight that
“this  meeting  between  municipalities  amounts  to  a  dialectic
rejection  of  the  culture  of  war,  violence  and  death  in  which
■
humanity lives today”.

2

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

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TYPE A PROJECTS

Esbjerg Kommune: "e-Budget: Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) as a tool to foster public participation in municipal
governance."
A seminar was held on 4-8 December 2006 in the Esbjerg
Kommune to mark the commencement of the project it
is  coordinating,  hosting  representatives  of  the  partner
municipalities  of  Fernando  de  la  Mora  (Paraguay),
Independencia (Peru), Mocorito (Mexico), Conchalí and
El Bosque (Chile), Santa Cristina d’Aro (Spain) and the
Transnational  Institute  (The  Netherlands)  as  an  exter-
nal partner. 

Considering that in today’s world ICTs are not only considered an
important  element  contributing  to  economic  growth  and
employment but are also viewed as a powerful tool to improve
public services and allow citizens to participate more efficiently in
democratic  processes,  the  e-Budget  project  appears  to  be  both
relevant and current. 
The  project’s  objectives  clearly  reflect  general  developments  in
this field and are supported by a series of activities and initiatives
at national and international level such as the European Union’s
“i2010”,  specifically  addressing  on-line  administration,  and  the
eLAC 2007 Latin American initiative which is the Regional Plan of
Action  for  the  Information  Society  in  Latin  America  and  the
Caribbean. 
Aware that the realities of the municipalities participating in the
project are not homogeneous, the project envisages the compil-
ing of new and relevant know-how, based on research of already
existing  e-budget  initiatives,  local  SWOT  analyses  (Strengths,
Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) and feasibility studies, with
a  view  to  making  specific  proposals  on  new  ways  to  enhance
public  participation  in  local  Participatory  Budget  processes
through the use of ICTs. The project further aims to produce sug-
gestions as to how ICTs can support the creation of real commu-
nication  between  citizens  and  officials  and  politicians  in  local
■
administrations.

The  princi-

pal  aim  of
the  project  is
evaluate
to 
and 
identify
how  the  use
of  ICTs  at  the
local  adminis-
tration 
level
can  link  and
strengthen de-
centralising participatory budget processes over the long term at
the municipal level and create more sustainable measures to sup-
port participatory democracy. 

Esbjerg. Participants in the Opening Seminar in Brussels. 

Ayuntamiento de Córdoba: “My-SMEs for all – a shared strategy to 
promote and facilitate the creation of companies through the use of 
new technologies.
This  project  is  led  by  the  Ayuntamiento  de  Córdoba,
Spain. The partner municipalities sharing the objectives
of this project within the framework of the URB-AL pro-
gramme  are:  Córdoba  (Spain),  Vila  Real  de  Santo
Antonio 
(Spain),  Colonia
(Uruguay), Riobamba (Ecuador), Coinco (Chile), Maule
(Chile), Guadalajara (Mexico), Vitória (Brazil).

The  main  objective  of
the  action,  then,  is  to
implement  a  common
methodology  based  on
new  information  tech-
nologies  serving  to  fos-
ter 
self-employment
among those groups facing particular labour-market integration
problems such as: women, youth, and unemployed persons over
the age of 40 and people with disabilities. 

(Portugal),  Tenerife 

Córdoba. Logo of the Project.

The  “My  SMEs  for  all” strategy  seeks  to  respond  to  a  set  of

common needs identified in the territories where this initiative is

being implemented and can be summarised as follows: 

1. Lack of an entrepreneurial spirit among young people;

2. Lack of business training (ignorance of how to put a Business

Plan together, vital to the consolidation of businesses); 

3.  Lack  of  financial  resources  on  the  part  of  the  target  group
(unemployed young people), which in many cases is an insur-
mountable barrier in the path to entrepreneurship; 

4. Lack of training in ICTs in some cases and/or institutional sup-

port for technological projects. 

To this end the project envisages, inter alia, the development of
IT  virtual  training  tools  focusing  on  business  plans;  training  of
technicians  who  will  be  rendering  support  services  to  entrepre-
neurs  using  new  technologies;  and  the  conclusion  of
Collaboration Agreements with financial institutions for the pur-
pose  of  financing  technologically  interesting  business  projects
under preferential conditions.

Through the execution of this project the authorities concerned
firmly commit to facing the common challenge of fostering the
entrepreneurial spirit and access to new technologies as means
of achieving integration into working life and increasing the trust
■
of entrepreneurs in public institutions. 

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

3

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 4

TYPE A PROJECTS

Diputación de Huelva: "ALFA – Information Society and Local
Development"
ALFA’s objective is to enhance the
capacity of local Latin American civil
servants to deal with matters relating
to local development through the
implementation of advisory services
focusing on local development
through the use of ICTs (information
and communications technologies).

Efforts  will  likewise  be  made  to  raise
awareness  among  senior  officials  regard-
ing the importance of lending support to
training initiatives of this sort. The indirect
beneficiaries  will  be  the  small  producers,
cooperatives, associations, etc. which are
able  to  take  advantage  of  ICTs  and  con-
sulting  support  from  those  who  have
gone through the training.

(cid:129) to study the possibility of setting up an
on-line,  local  development  consulta-
tion service using ICT tools;

(cid:129) to enhance the institutional capacity of
Latin  American  entities  to  manage
change  and  adapt  to  the  information
society.

quently to use them as centres to train
local officials;

The  project  is  coordinated  by  the

Diputación de Huelva working togeth-
er with Athens (Greece) and the following
beneficiary  partners  in  Latin  America:
Concepción (Chile), Pergamino (Argentina),
Cuenca  (Ecuador)  and  Santa  Tecla  (El
Salvador). Project training focuses specifi-
cally  on  the  workers  at  the  local  entities
involved in grass roots development. 

The project has a number of objectives:

(cid:129) to create a network of local European
and  Latin  American  entities  able  to
benefit  from  ICTs  by  sharing  informa-
tion on local development and advising
small rural producers;

(cid:129) to  provide  beneficiary  municipalities
with needed infrastructure and subse-

The  following  results  are  expected:  esta-
blishment  of  teletraining  classrooms;
development  of  a  teletraining  platform;
training of local development and empo-
werment  agents  through  teletraining
actions;  technical  study  for  the  future
implementation  of  citizen  services  based
on ICTs and the exchange of experiences
■
and best practices.

Intendencia municipal de Colonia: “Safe Schools”

The Intendencia municipal de
Colonia (Uruguay) coordinates this
project in which the following
partners participate: Municipality of
Quilpue (Chile), Municipality of
Acajutla (El Salvador), Provincial
Government of Jaén (Spain) and the
Associação de Municipios do Vale do
Ave (Portugal).

In  most  cases  the  problem  of  school  vio-
lence  is  addressed  individually,  i.e.  the
aggressor  is  identified  and  isolated  from
the  rest  of  the  school  community  by
means  of  punishment  or  individual  the-
rapy.  However,  school  violence  is  the
result  of  a  social  relationship  and  the
expression of violence is not necessarily a
permanent state of behaviour nor an indi-
vidual  pathology.  Often  time  aggressive
behaviour  is  a  way  of  sizing  oneself  up
against  others  and  one's  surroundings;
the expression of a "need" to seek one's
identity and peer recognition.

A large number of players emerge in this
scenario  who  must  all  be  considered
when analysing the problem of school vio-
lence,  because  leaving  them  out  of  the

picture  could  result  in  the  failure  of  the
initiatives  taken  or  a  worsening  of  the
conflicts  between  the  different  members
of the school community.

Another  important  aspect  is  the  school
viewed as a focal point in the socialisation
process where youth not only receive aca-
demic  training  but  are  also  imbued  with
values  and  a  sense  of  belonging  and  are
taught to adopt social roles which consti-
tute the basis for present and future social
relationships.  It  is  therefore  vital  to  inte-
grate  schools  in  initiatives  aiming  at  pre-
venting this sort of risk behaviour. 

The goal of this project is to enhan-
ce and promote co-existence among
the different members of the school com-
munity  through  the  standardisation,  dis-
semination and promotion of best practi-
ces  at  local  level  in  European  and  Latin
American  partner  countries.  A  diagnosis
will be made of co-existence dynamics in
two  schools  located  in  each  partner  city
and these will subsequently serve to defi-
ne  the  problems  associated  with  hazar-
dous, violent and/or criminal behaviours in
schools. The next step includes the compi-
lation  and  standardisation  of  successful
experiences in preventing criminal behaviour

4

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

Colonia. Pupils.

and  violence 
in  schools  associated 
with  the  problems  detected,  with  a  view
to  finally  compiling  teaching  material  at
each  school  to  encourage  safe  and  inte-
grative co-existence at local schools.

The objective is to diagnose the climate of
co-existence  prevailing  at  the  different
local schools and, on that basis, to high-
light  and  improve  upon  best  practices  in
crime  prevention  and  violence  reduction
with the ultimate goal of promoting safe
■
co-existence at school.

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 5

TYPE B PROJECTS

“Rosario SUMA, social and territorial cohesion project”. Inauguration 
of the entry level Sport and Cultural Training Centre and Hipólito
Yrigoyen Park.
The project entitled “Rosario Suma,
an urban solution with a different
perspective” was coordinated by the
city of Rosario (Argentina) as the
continuation of Network 7 “Urban
Planning Management and
Control”.

were already operating in the Park to con-
tinue with their activities in a more orga-
nised  and  better  equipped  setting,  with
co-management  of  activities  between
them  and  the  Sports  Directorate  of  the
City of Rosario.

The Hipólito Yrigoyen Park covers a sur-
face  area  of  approximately  17  hectares.
The  Municipality  of  Rosario  drew  up  a
plan for the entire Park sector which inclu-
ded the progressive recovery of areas and
buildings,  the  restoration  and  revitalisa-
tion of old railway warehouses, the defini-
tion of new uses for refurbished buildings
and  the  restoration  and  rehabilitation  of
particularly  valuable  historic  and  heritage
buildings to integrate them in the project.
The Rosario SUMA project covers the first
stage of the Park’s global plan, covering a
6-hectare area. 

Actions undertaken for the urban regene-
ration  of  that  part  of  the  Park  included:
forestation and landscape restoration; ins-
tallation of equipment (2 sectors with play
areas for children, cement benches distri-
buted throughout the park, litter bins and
signs);  new  lighting;  integral  irrigation
system for the upkeep of green areas and
new  plantings;  and  smooth  pedestrian
paths (specially conditioned to accommo-
date wheelchairs).

Intervention likewise included the restora-
tion  and  revitalisation  of  a  building  with
particular  heritage  value  located  on  park
premises,  which  has  become  the  Entry
Level  Sport  and  Cultural  Training
Centre. 

The  Entry  Level  Sport  and  Cultural
Training Centre was inaugurated on 26
September  2006  and  all  of  the  Hipólito
Yrigoyen Park's urban regeneration works
envisaged  under  the  Rosario  SUMA  pro-
ject  were  inaugurated  on  4  December
2006  with  the  presence  of  the  Head  of
the  EC  Delegation 
in  Argentina,
Ambassador  Gustavo  Martín  Prada  and
the Mayor of Rosario, Miguel Lifschitz. 

The  Park  intervention  strategy  was  roun-
ded out with a series of activities to pro-
mote the appropriation of this green area
by the population and encourage all resi-
dents to use, respect and treat it as their
own.  These  activities  included  a  dissemi-
nation  and  awareness-raising  campaign
targeting  local  residents,  with  the  slogan
“Hipólito  Yrigoyen  Park,  a  family  place”,
and in the vicinity of the Park the SEPARE
Programme  was  launched  (separation  of
recyclable  waste,  improvement  in  urban
hygiene,  reduction  in  the  amount  of
waste delivered to landfills, etc.).

■

The  Centre is
equipped  for  a
number  of  dif-
ferent 
sports:
football,  junior
football,  volley-
ball,  handball
and  basketball.
It also has a ser-
vices  wing  with
offices and dres-
sing  rooms  and
a  multi-purpose
hall  for  cultural
activities.  The
Centre
provi-
ded an opportu-
nity  for  those
institutions  and
which
clubs 

Rosario. The Head of Delegation of the EC in Argentina, the Ambassador Gustavo Martín Prada, and the
Secretary of planning of the Municipality, Mirta Levin, inaugurating the H.Yrigoyen Park.

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

5

The  aim  of  the  Rosario  Suma project

was  to  implement  urban  planning
strategies, social integration and territori-
al organisation with a view to rehabilitat-
ing  run-down  neighbourhoods  and  thus
contributing  to  better  urban  living  stan-
dards  and  environmental  conditions.
Three lines of work were envisaged with-
in  the  framework  of  this  overarching
objective. 

The  first  was  to  devise  an  intervention
project  targeting  run-down  and  discon-
nected areas in each of the partner muni-
cipalities (Lleida, Regione Autonoma della
Sardegna,  Sao  Paulo,  Montevideo).  This
was accomplished by means of an “Ideas
Contest”  between  the  project’s  member
cities  ultimately  leading  to  the  presenta-
tion of the terms of reference for an inter-
vention project in each of them. A propo-
sal was then selected for each city. 

As part of this first line of work, the part-
ners  also  met  to  discuss  and  compile  a
document  entitled 
“Methodological
Document for the Urban Regeneration of
Run-down  and  Disconnected  Areas”
which was published at the conclusion of
the project.

The  second  line  of  work  of  the  Rosario
SUMA project focused on the implemen-
tation  of  an  intervention  strategy  in  the
coordinating city for the urban regenera-
tion of the area in the vicinity of Hipólito
Yrigoyen Park. The objective of this inter-
vention  was  to  establish  and  consolidate
the  Park  as  a  public  space,  to  design  an
urban  reassessment  policy  as  a  basis  for
planning,  and  to  encourage  social  com-
mitment and civic intercourse in the con-
text of the Park.

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 6

NETWORK 8

Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart: “Cities for Mobility” Network in favour of
sustainable urban transport

companies  which  have 
joined  as
“Premium Partners”. This is how new pos-
sibilities  are  created  for  the  funding  of
projects and conferences, given that espe-
cially the small and medium-sized munici-
palities  of  developing  countries  do  not
have  sufficient  resources  to  carry  out
transnational  cooperation  activities  on
their own.

— The fourth pillar of the Stuttgart Town
Hall  strategy  is  the  start-up  of  coordina-
tion  offices  for  the  different  regions,
which  will  be  run  by  the  municipalities.
The aim of these offices is to decentralise
the coordination work and intensify activ-
ities in different regions of the world.

The First Annual Congress will be held in
Stuttgart on 11-12 June 2007 and will be
structured  around  three  thematic  areas
(new  hybrid  plug-in  motors,  develop-
ments in the promotion of the bicycle as
an  alternative  means  of  transport  and
mobility management during major sport-
ing  events).  Workshops  will  stress  the
practical  over  the  theoretical  and  will
serve  as  a  forum  for  the  preparation  of
project proposals among members. 
(http://www.cities-for-mobility.org/).

■

Tramway of Stuttgart

In October 2006, Stuttgart launched the world-wide “Cities for Mobility” net-
work in close collaboration with local government officials, university and
research centre experts and economic partners with a view to jointly crea-
ting and developing new sustainable transport systems in urban areas. 

ly 300 cities, businesses and non-govern-
mental  organisations  from  38  countries
participate. 

— The network’s third fundamental pillar
involves  closing  the  gap  with  the  private
sector.  Private  sector  investment  in  trans-
port technology and in the long-term sus-
tainability  of  the  sector  is  vital  to  assure
efficient  and  sustainable  transport  sys-
tems. The City Council has decided to cre-
ate the category of “Premium Partners” in
order  to  give  “Cities  for  Mobility”  a  sus-
tainable  financial  base.  Special  arrange-
ments, over and above those made avail-
able  to  members,  are  offered  to  these
companies  in  terms  of  Internet  advertis-
ing, publications and participation in net-
work activities. In return, they are urged to
actively participate with substantial contri-
butions both in terms of financial support
and  content.  The  network  now  has  two

Direct  and  lasting  relationships  are

formed  between  members  and  col-
laborating partners within the framework
of “Cities for Mobility” in order to jointly
seek solutions to everyday problems in the
area of transport. A wide array of subjects
are  addressed  ranging  from  the  promo-
tion of bicycle as a means of transport to
the use of new propulsion technologies to
reduce polluting emissions.

The  global  strategy  of  “Cities  for
Mobility” is based on four major pillars: 

—  The  enhancing  of  cooperation
between  members  of  the  URB-AL  8
Network, Control of urban mobility, who
have  contributed  over  the  last  several
years to the development of this network
and  have  undertaken  interesting  projects
for  the  improvement  of  urban  transport
systems.  In  surveys  and  at  the  annual
meetings,  members  expressed  interest  in
continuing  to  work  on  this  decentralised
cooperation once phase 2 of the URB-AL
Programme is complete. The projects car-
ried out within the framework of the net-
work  not  only  stressed  experience  and
information  sharing  among  project  part-
ners  but  also  developed  concepts  with
significant  added  value  tailored  to  the
reality of each of the urban regions affect-
ed  and  benefiting  the  local  population.
Even  following  the  conclusion  of  project
activities,  many  of  the  partners  have
maintained lasting relationships with their
peers  and  regularly  exchange  their  views
on current events and new ideas relating
to projects. 

—  The  strategy’s  second  pillar  entails
opening  the  network  to  other  cities  and
institutions which are active in the area of
urban transport, with a view to enhancing
the  international  profile  of  “Cities  for
Mobility”. As a result, today approximate-

6

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

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NETWORK 8

Comuna di Roma: "La.De.S"- Sustainable Development Laboratories

grated  and  sustainable  urban  develop-
ment  processes  by  setting  up  a  sustain-
able  development  laboratory  at  OMAU
headquarters. 

The following specific goals are envisaged
in the project: 

1. Reassessment and valorisation of envi-
ronmental and cultural heritage at the
following locations: 

— The  San  Jerónimo  District  in  Cuzco
(Peru)  through  flood  management;
recuperation  of  the  Cloaca  River;
preparation of the ethnobotanical gar-
den;  rehabilitation  of  the  existing
sewage treatment system.

— The Ex Snia Viscosa city park in Rome
(Italy) through the rehabilitation of the
open-air theatre with a bio-architectur-
al system and the installation of a pho-
tovoltaic  system;  reassessment  of
green areas.

2. Technical  and  scientific  support  for
environmental  and  cultural  reassess-
ment  and  valorisation  projects  in  spe-
cific areas of the four partner cities:

—  Alicante:  Execution  of  garden  land-
scape  restoration  works  in  the  Juan
XXIII neighbourhood.

— Guanajuato:  Environmental  hazard
prevention in this World Heritage city:
restructure,  rehabilitate,  conserve  and

develop  the  ecological  and  environ-
mental  corridor/complex  known  as
"Chinchidaro - Presa de la Olla".

— Moyobamba: Recuperation of the nat-
ural  cliff  area  known  as  “Barrancos”,
integrating  it  into  urban  activity  as  a
natural and cultural area.

— Tres de Febrero: Pre-feasibility study for
the  creation  of  the  Morón  Creek
Natural Urban Reserve.

3. Development of project partner compe-
tencies and know-how for the creation of
integrated and sustainable urban develop-
ment processes.

4. Creation of an Exchange Laboratory on
sustainable  development  within 
the
framework  of  the  Urban  Environment
Observatory (Malaga) to spark debate on
the four cross-cutting themes of the proj-
ect: water treatment; landscape and envi-
ronmental  conservation,  renewable  ener-
gy and grass-roots participation.

Project  activities  are  scheduled  to  con-
clude  in  October  2008  with  the  finalisa-
tion of the works in Cuzco and Rome and
the definition of the pre-feasibility studies
in the four partner cities. The project also
envisages  critical  and  constructive  reflec-
tion  on  integrated  programming  and
urban  sustainability  in  the  territorial  con-
■
texts of Europe and Latin America.

Roma. Booklet which illustrates the project.

In addition to the Comuna di Roma
which is leading the project, the part-
ners are the Municipalities of Cuzco
(Peru), Moyobamba (Peru), Tres de
Febrero (Argentina), Guanajuato
(Mexico) and Alicante (Spain),
which all took part at Stage A. The
Urban Environment Observatory
(Spanish acronym OMAU) with
headquarters in Malaga (Spain) is
an external partner at this new
stage.

In  the  Type  A  project  entitled  “New

Integrated  Urban  Development  Models
for the valorisation of Environmental and
Cultural Heritage”, the partner cities joint-
ly  developed  an  integrated  urban  devel-
opment  model  which,  based  on  the  val-
orisation  of  environmental  and  cultural
heritage,  took  into  account  the  factors
contributing to the local development of a
given territory – economic, social, cultural
and environmental – as well as the “mate-
rial"  and  “human”  resources  available
locally,  with  a  view  to  bridging  the  gap
between  growth  and  development  and
achieving a greater degree of sustainabili-
ty and social cohesion. In this connection,
a flexible methodology has been adopted
which is able to address the geographical,
territorial,  political,  demographic  and
social  differences  of  the  seven  partner
cities  without  confining  the  unique  reali-
ties of each of these within a rigid struc-
ture.  In  this  way  a  general  theoretical
model,  transferable  and  adaptable  to
each local reality and in tune with specific
particularities and territorial resources was
defined.

According to this scheme, the Sustainable
Development  Laboratory  project  aims  to
conduct a trial run of the integrated urban
development  model  in  the  Cuzco  and
Rome  areas  and  use  it  as  the  basis  for
technical  formulation  of  the  projects
being  implemented  in  the  four  partner
cities  of  Alicante,  Guanajuato,  Tres  de
Febrero and Moyobamba. The aim is also
to enhance the competencies and know-
how of partner governments at the local
level,  encouraging  the  creation  of  inte-

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

7

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NETWORK 8

Comune di Arezzo: "DESURBAL"  

This project, headed by Comune di Arezzo, includes the Municipality of
Lille Metropole and 5 Latin American municipalities: Surco (Peru), Cuenca
(Ecuador), General Pico and Tres de Febrero (Argentina), Arica (Chile). 
The NGO “UCODEP” participates as an external partner.

The  aim  of  the  “DESURBAL  Project  –

implementation  of  communication
and awareness-raising strategies and pilot
activities to improve the impact of urban
solid  waste  management  in  terms  of
diminishing  socio-economic  expense  and
respect for the environment” – is to raise
the  living  standard  of  the  participating
Latin  America  and  European  cities  by
reducing  the  volume  of  waste  deposited
in  landfills  and  improving  selective  waste
collection systems. 

The project includes the sharing of expe-
riences  and  best  practices  in  the  area  of
urban waste management. Action is like-
wise envisaged in the waste management
cycle with capacity-building and experien-

Arezzo. Pupils who visit the power station of processing waste of the city.

ce-sharing  activities  and  the  undertaking
of pilot activities. 

Having  regard  to  citizen  communication
and  awareness-raising,  provisions  have
been made to share the experiences gai-
ned  by  the  city  of  Lille.  This  will  serve  to
organise  a  shared  communications  stra-
tegy tailored to the particularities of each
partner city, including a specific campaign
in  each  of  the  cities  concerned  and  the
organisation of a public event in each city
with  the  involvement  of  schools  and  the
population  at  large.  Also,  a  permanent
exhibit will be set up in Arezzo on the uti-
lity and importance of recycling. A citizen
awareness-raising  event  will  likewise  be
organised focusing on waste, its alternati-
ve use and treatment. And lastly, a speci-
fic  awareness-raising
campaign  will  be
undertaken 
a
multi-ethnic  neigh-
bourhood of Lille.

in 

to 

Having  regard  to  the
subject  of  manage-
ment,  pilot  activities
will  be  launched  in
the 5 Latin American
cities 
improve
waste
selective 
collection  and  recy-
cling:  purchase  of
garbage  bins  and
other  equipment  for
selective  collection,
treatment  of  grey
water  and  improve-
in  collection
ment 
and  organic  waste
composting  systems.
Each pilot project will
be accompanied by a
specific  information
and  citizen  aware-
ness-raising 
cam-
paign.  The  objectives
of the 5 pilot projects
are as follows:

8

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

1. Arica: reduction in the volume of waste
deposited  at  the  community’s  municipal
dumpsite (10 kg / inhabitant / year).

2. Cuenca: improve separation and collec-
tion  techniques  used  for  organic  waste:
raise  treatment  capacity  to  21t  per  day
and increase the production of compost. 

3.  General  Pico:  improve  the  operational
efficiency of the separated materials reco-
very plant. 

4. Santiago de Surco: increase the volume
of  selective  waste  collection.  The  pilot
project  targets  new  neighbourhoods,
approximately  10%  of  the  population.
Technical  implementation  will  involve  20
waste bins and a collection vehicle. 

5.  Tres  de  Febrero:  promote  increase  in
selective collection in order to reduce the
volume of waste deposited at the landfill
site. In this case, the goal is to make citi-
zens  more  responsible  in  terms  of  the
separation of waste through the distribu-
tion  of  selective  collection  bins  throug-
hout the neighbourhoods. 

The  industrial  schemes  implemented  in
the 6 Latin American partner cities will be
updated  and  tailored  to  reduce  environ-
mental impact, with a view to consolida-
ting  their  programming  management
capacities.  Training  activities  targeting
officials  in  charge  of  waste  management
services in the 6 Latin American cities will
also be organised in order to optimise the
waste treatment cycle, the monitoring of
costs and revenues and the identification
of suitable pricing systems. Local partners
will also be provided with the instruments
and  methodologies  needed  to  apply
waste analysis, a fundamental element for
effective  urban  waste  management.
Activities will be consolidated in the form
of  electronic  experience-  and  document-
sharing telemática 
(http://www.urbal-arezzo.net)

■

957449_Brochure EN:952531_Brochure ES  27-11-2007  12:45  Pagina 9

NETWORK 8

Porto Alegre: “Inter-municipal capacity-building system for participatory
local management planning”

Information, planning,
focused execution and
measurement of results
as a means of popular
participation.
The decisive process is, first and foremost,
one based on information — information
as  a  matrix  for  inclusion  and  the  basic
ingredient for the working of participato-
ry democracy. That is the greatest poten-
tial achievement, i.e. giving an increasing
number  of  citizens  the  chance  to  take
part  in  the  planning  of  government
actions,  responding  to  requests  in  the
form of strategic objectives to the benefit
of  communities  and  thus  enabling
increasingly  focalised  execution  of  public
policies  through  observation  and  meas-
urement of results concerning community
interests  and  the  objectives  agreed  upon
between government and communities.

■

Cities  are  ever-evolving  miracles.  This
premise  is  rooted  in  an  interpretation  of
the most obvious urban phenomenon, i.e.
the everyday bustle of people, commodi-
ties  and  vehicles  in  cities.  It  is  within  the
realm of cities that this collective stimulus-
response  structure  of  human  existence
produces  the  greatest  and  most  impor-
tant  local  governance  experience  that
humanity has ever achieved. That is where
citizens  live  their  lives,  leave  their  marks
and establish their cultural values. The city
is the milieu in which individuals establish
and  develop  a  feeling  of  belonging.  It  is
cities, then, as an expression and synthe-
sis of community, that form the basis for
participatory  democracy  and  governance
in solidarity. 

There is a visible new protagonism of citi-
zenship  vis-à-vis  government  structures
which prompts the need for a new State
based  on  the  principles  of  territoriality,
transversality  and  transparency,  allowing
for the establishment of a new democrat-
ic  space  capable  of  generating  peace  as
the ultimate objective pursued.  

The Participatory
Budget, an experiment
in citizen participation
in public budgetary
decisions.
Today,  Porto  Alegre  is  the  Brazilian
metropolis most experienced in participa-
tory  democracy  as  far  as  Participatory
Budgets are concerned. At the beginning
of the 80's, some Brazilian municipalities
experimented  with  participatory  democ-
racy in city management, the Porto Alegre
experience  being  the  best  known.  Since
then,  based  on  this  latter  experience,  an
increasing  number  of  cities  have  been
implementing  the  Participatory  Budget
scheme. Citizen participation through the

Participatory Budget Council gives munic-
ipal authorities the chance to think about
the participatory budget and its spending
plan  based  on  an  agenda  of  project  dis-
cussions and needs expressed by the dif-
ferent  communities  that  comprise  the
municipality.  The  process  thus  entails  a
major  organisation  of  communities  and
has  been  pursued  over  the  last  several
legislative  periods,  enshrining  an  intense
community spirit which is part and parcel
of the gaucho and Porto Alegre culture.

A new management
scheme based on
territoriality, 
transversality and
transparency.
The  challenge  of  conceiving  a  new  State
able to include the citizenry in the discus-
sion  and  development  of  public  policy
calls  for  a  new  way  of  taking  decisions
and  consequently  requires  new  public
management  which  is  respectful  of  the
communal  conditions  and  values  which
define the territory (territoriality). This pro-
vides  citizens  with  an  easier  and  more
objective way of relating to this new State
by focusing on the objective reality of cit-
izens,  eliminating  sectoral  and  depart-
mental organisations, and therefore inter-
preting this reality on the basis of definite
multi-sectoral focal points drawing atten-
tion to the citizens’ problems (transversal-
ity). And finally, the increasingly prevalent
use of information technologies allows for
transparency 
the  monitoring  of
processes, implementation of projects and
execution of public spending. This all con-
tributes  to  a  growing  dialogue  between
political agents and communities, optimi-
sation of resources and stimulation of syn-
ergies capable of generating a new budg-
et,  greater  than  the  public  budget  and
with better results in the implementation
of public policies.

in 

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9

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NETWORK 8

Municipalidad de Independencia: “Local governments endorsing the 
self-determination of women through labour inclusion” 

The aim of the project is to promote the inclusion of women in the labour market on an equal footing so as to 
be able to exercise their rights and enhance their capacities to gain access to the labour market under more
advantageous and equal conditions.

As a follow-up to the type A project where a diagnosis was

made  through  collection  and  standardisation  of  the  needs
and expectations of women regarding employment, this type B
project entitled “Local governments endorsing the self-determi-
nation of women through labour inclusion” seeks to act on the
results registered in the first phase by promoting the inclusion of
women in the labour market on an equal footing with their male
counterparts. 

Assuming  that  local  governments  have  the  capacity  to  address
the  different  dimensions  involved  in  the  exclusion  of  women
from  the  labour  market,  the  purpose  of  this  project  is  to  get
those governments to implement initiatives to empower women
and  encourage  their  active  participation  in  the  economic  and
social development of their families and their community.

In  this  connection,  we  have  identified  the  need  for  an  ambit
within which to implement permanent programmes and/or servi-
ces providing information, capacity-building and consulting with
a  view  to  providing  women  with  the  resources  needed  to  take
part in productive activity. Direct work with women is to be sup-
plemented with services focusing on achieving a balanced distri-
bution  of  domestic  responsibilities  between  men  and  women,
which means that these initiatives need to be consistent and sus-

tainable  over  time.  In  some  locations,  entrepreneurial  activities
giving  women  the  opportunity  to  earn  income  will  likewise  be
implemented. 

The project includes an institution-building component through
which the municipal governments will design and enhance spe-
cific  policies  in  this  field  so  as  to  effectively  focus  resources  on
building equality.

The following partners are taking part in this project: District of
Independencia (Peru), district of Pueblo Libre (Peru); Cantón San
Carlos  (Costa  Rica);  Municipality  of  San  Pedro  de  Nonualco  (El
Salvador);  Municipality  of  Santa  Rosa  de  Copán  (Honduras);
Town  Hall  of  Gijón  (Spain),  Town  Hall  of  Moncada  (Spain);
Municipality of Treviso (Italy).

Project  partners  are  currently  undertaking  the  initial  activities
envisaged  under  the  action  plan  and  are  preparing  the  first
International Seminar. This will take place in El Salvador and will
serve  to  define  the  programmes,  methodologies  and  commit-
ments of local partners in the project.

The main target group is comprised of 13,509 women distribu-
ted  among  5  locations  in  Latin  America  and  3  in  Europe,  who
find themselves in a situation of particular disadvantage vis-à-vis
the  labour  market  and
who hope to benefit from
advisory support and trai-
ning  for  integration  into
working  life.  It  is  also
hoped, by means of sup-
plementary  services,  to
meet  the  needs  of  290
children,  to  run  cam-
paigns  with  information
on reconciling family and
working  life,  women's
rights and equal opportu-
nities  for  the  51,500
inhabitants of these cities
and  towns,  and  to  train
210  municipal  officials  in
equality policy issues. The
project  is  expected  to
indirectly  benefit 
the
families  of  the  women
receiving  this  advisory
and training support.

■

Independencia. Participants 
in the Project.

10

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NETWORK 8

Municipalidad de Valparaíso: "Latin American Citizen Safety Observatory"

Nearly a year after having
concluded the official coordination
period of the telematic network on
Citizen Safety, the Municipalidad de
Valparaíso is continuing in the
work of pooling forces to
coordinate efforts on the part of
local governments to assure the
safety of their inhabitants, this time
through the implementation of a
Latin American Citizen Safety
Observatory.

This action seeks to promote objectives

similar to those set out in Network 14
by instituting a body to provide continuity
with  activities  already  undertaken  and
best practices developed, while maintain-
ing  constant  coordination  and  communi-
cation  between 
the  different  Latin
American partners and acting as a perma-
nent channel of communication with the
European partners.

The main idea is to continue contributing
to  enhancement  of  local  public  policies
through  the  consolidation  of  cooperative
ties  and  the  exchange  of  experiences  on
both  continents,  by  instituting  a  body  in
Latin America to bring local governments
together  to  confront  the  task  of  improv-
ing  knowledge,  exchange  and  definition
of policies relating to this topic.

We  are  thus  seeking  to  strengthen  local
citizen safety policies through the creation
and  consolidation  of  an  Observatory
whereby  to  standardise  security  informa-
tion,  conduct  local  security  diagnoses,
undertake  joint  training  processes  and
collaborate in the exchange of promising
and successful experiences. 

The aim of all of this is first of all to con-
tinue  with  one  of  the  most  important
facets  of  the  Network,  i.e.  the  establish-
ment of contacts and links between part-
ner  cities,  specifically  in  the  achievement
of common objectives, which in turn gen-
erates  a  database  of  actions  and  best
practices  in  the  participating  cities;  sec-
ondly it is to respond to one of the princi-
pal  limitations  encountered  in  collabora-

tion  processes  between  local  govern-
ments in Europe and Latin America during
the course of the three years of Network
14 collaboration, i.e. the lack of a security
diagnosis in Latin America and of a com-
mon body of knowledge having regard to
the problem. 

The  action  undertaken  helps  to  remedy
this deficiency and strengthen the perma-
nent and sustainable exchange of experi-
ences  between  local  governments.  This
will entail developing and reaching a con-
sensus  on  a  common  methodological
framework to describe the state of citizen
safety at local level and setting up a joint
database for criminal activity as well as a
system  for  the  implementation  of  best
practices. 

The Observatory therefore sees itself as a
body  responsible  for  the  collection  and
standardisation  of  all  information  avail-
able  at  the  regional  level  with  respect  to
crime, violence and intimidation, offering
a  unique  opportunity  to  record  and
analyse regional behaviour in this connec-
tion.

The Observatory will be set up in the cities
of  Quito,  Buenos  Aires,  Santa  Tecla,
Barcelona  and  the  Province  of  Padova.
Another of the project’s main objectives is
to attract new partners. To that end, the

creation  and  formalisation  of  an  institu-
is  envisaged  through  telematic
tion 
means, entailing the conclusion of collab-
oration 
the
Observatory and different public and pri-
vate  entities  providing  access  to  new
sources of funding to assure the continu-
ity of the project projection for the future.

agreements  between 

The project also includes the implementa-
tion  of  a  Pilot  Plan  for  the  Prevention  of
Criminal  Activity  at  Historic  Centres,
focusing  particularly  on  the  capacity  of
local  governments  in  preventing  crime.
This  Plan,  to  be  implemented  in  the  his-
toric city-centre of Valparaiso, includes the
execution  of  prevention  initiatives  at  the
local  level  in  high-risk  neighbourhoods
where there is scant intervention in terms
of citizen safety. 

The  aim  of  the  Pilot  Plan  is  to  set  up  a
local  citizen  safety  promotion  scheme  in
historic city-centres in the belief that cities
are  built  through  the  interaction  of  citi-
zens  with  their  environment.  In  this  con-
nection, the plan combines two ideas: the
need to promote citizen safety at the local
government  level,  and  the  appropriation
of the city and its neighbourhoods by the
citizens. These two ideas are key tools in
diminishing  insecurity,  promoting  partici-
pation and generating a sense of belong-
■
ing. 

Valparaíso. Sight of the city.

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

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CDPU – DOCUMENTATION CENTRE OF THE URB-AL PROGRAMME

AYUNTAMIENTO DE MÁLAGA– MUNICIPALIDAD DE VALPARAÍSO

The Documentation Centre of the URB-AL Programme: The major
library focusing on urban know-how

consortium  which  enjoys  the  support  of
the  University  of  Málaga  (Spain),  the
Justice  and  Democracy  Corporation
(Chile) and the Latin American Centre for
Strategic Urban Development (CIDEU).

As  part  of  the  methodological  support
activity  programme  undertaken  by  the
URB-AL  Programme  Documentation
Centre, the city of Valparaíso was the site
selected to conduct the II Training Course
on  “rules  and  procedures  for  the  execu-
tion  of  URB-AL  Programme  joint  proj-
ects”.  The  course  was  held  on  25-27
October 2006.

The  Mayor  of  Valparaíso,  Aldo  Cornejo,
was  present  at  the  inaugural  ceremony
and  was  accompanied  by  the  European
Commission 
representative  Marie
Tilburck,  the  Coordinator-General  of  the
CDPU, Pedro Marín, the chief advisor and
Cooperation Head of the EC Delegation in
Chile,  Pedro  Martínez-Vargas  and  the
Coordinator of the Latin American CDPU
Antenna, Gustavo Paulsen.

The objective of the course was to provide
the  methodological  and  technical  tools
needed  by  the  joint  project  managers  of
the different URB-AL networks who were
selected  at  the  last  two  Programme  calls
for  proposals  (October  2005  and  April
2006).  Taking  part  in  this  edition  of  the
course  were  28  coordinators  and  techni-
cal managers of different municipalities in
Denmark,  Spain,  Italy,  Peru,  Uruguay,
Chile, Brazil and Ecuador. 

The  course  is  based  on  the  practical
Handbook of rules and procedures for the
execution  of  type  A  and  B  URB-AL  joint
projects, 
the  URB-AL
Programme  Documentation  Centre  and
available on the Website.

edited  by 

The  CDPU  has  scheduled  an  URB-AL
Programme Best Practices Conference for
■
18-19 October 2007. 

Inauguration of the II Training course of the CDPU: Marie Tilburck, manager of the CDPU in EuropeAid; Pedro Martínez Vargas, Head of the
Co-operation to the Delegation of the EC in Chile; Aldo Cornejo, Mayor of Valparaíso; Pedro Marín, general Coordinator of the CDPU;
Gustavo Paulsen, Coordinator of the AL CDPU and María del Huerto Romero, Person in charge for the practical guide presented during the
course.

In 1995 the European Commission
implemented the URB-AL
Programme, a Community
initiative designed to create lasting
and stable ties of collaboration
between European and Latin
American cities. More than ten
years following the implementation
of the first network, the programme
can safely be declared a success as
demonstrated by the participation
of nearly 2,500 citizens, local
groups and citizen associations
forming part of 13 theme-based
networks which have held close to
40 international meetings with
over 10,000 participants. All of these
multilateral cooperation initiatives
between players from both
continents have given rise to the
development of 188 joint projects.

All  of  the  information  and  know-how

generated  by  URB-AL  is  available
the  URB-AL  Programme

thanks 
Documentation Centre (CDPU).

to 

The CDPU started work in April 2005 with
the intention of becoming a centre for the
collection  and  dissemination  of  URB-AL
best  practices.  This  work  is  based  on  a
three-prong  strategy:  Compile,  centralise
and standardise all of the documentation
and all of the joint projects approved; pro-
vide  support  and  permanent  advisory
services for the managers of ongoing proj-
ects;  and  identify  and  disseminate  best
practices emerging from these projects by
means of a handbook and a final confer-
ence.

CDPU 

The 
website
(www.centrourbal.com)  is  equipped  with
a multi-variable search engine giving users
access  to  an  excellent  database  of  best
practices  for  use  in  resolving  common
urban  problems  relating  to  social  cohe-
sion,  urban  planning,  local  development,
tourism,  natural  resources,  waste,  gover-
nance, safety, information society, etc.

The  main  headquarters  of  the  URB-AL
Programme  Documentation  Centre  is
located  in  the  city  of  Málaga  (Spain)  on
the  same  premises  as 
the  Urban
Environment Observatory. The CDPU also
has a Latin American headquarters in the
city  of  Valparaíso  (Chile).  The  cities  of
Málaga  and  Valparaíso  have  created  a

12

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OBSERVATORY OF EU-LA LOCAL DECENTRALISED COOPERATION (OCD)

DIPUTACIÓN DE BARCELONA – INTENDENCIA MUNICIPAL DE MONTEVIDEO

Results of the Observatory of EU-LA Local Decentralised Cooperation 

The OCD project, led by the Diputación de Barcelona in a consortium composed of the Intendencia Municipal de
Montevideo, FUNPADEM (Costa Rica), the University of the Republic of Uruguay and the CIDOB Foundation (Spain),
has a three-fold objective: to study and disseminate the phenomenon of decentralised cooperation among the local
governments of the EU and LA; to offer services and resources to those municipalities and territories of the two
regions interested in cooperation; and to work on current decentralised cooperation (DC) practices with a view to
enhancing quality and strengthening associative relations. 

of operation have been substantial:

The results to date after only two years
General overview of
DC and dissemination
of the phenomenon
A database has been compiled which cur-
rently  registers  over  1,200  relations
between  local  governments  in  the  two
regions  and  their  participation  in  net-
works.  Based  on  the  information  gath-
ered,  for  the  first  time  a  map  has  been
made  of  these  relations,  lending  visibility
to the phenomenon of DC. This informa-
tion is disseminated to all the stakeholders
through  publications  and  through  OCD
participation  in  specialised  forums  and
conferences.

cussions,  two  classroom  courses  were
designed and taught (60 participants), as
was an online edition in Spanish (50 stu-
dents).  The  second  edition,  in  English,
involved 60 students.

The Resource Centre will soon be offering
more  very  useful  tools,  especially  a  data-
base  of  notable  experiences  and  a  range
of  methodological  instruments  such  as  a
practical handbook on the steps required
to  “internationalise”  a  city,  a  guide  on
institutional and jurisdictional frameworks
and a guide on funding. 

Another  service  made  available  to  local
governments  is  the  quarterly  telematic
bulletin  with 
information  on  EU-LA
Decentralised  Cooperation,  which  is  dis-
tributed to close to 3,500 people working
at local level throughout the world.

last  year 

compare and contrast experiences. In this
the  First  Annual  OCD
connection, 
Conference  was  held 
in
Montevideo.  An  online  discussion  focus-
ing  on  OCD-related  tasks  has  also  been
launched  (development  of  decentralised
cooperation, models and types of cooper-
ation,  action  content,  etc.).  And  lastly,
with a view to sparking applied research,
the  first  OCD-sponsored  research  prize
was awarded.

Influence on 
national and regional
processes
Through all of these activities, the OCD is
contributing to the discussion process and
is  beginning  to  have  some  influence  on
enhancing  the  quality  and  strengthening
EU-LA Decentralised Cooperation.

OCD. Cover of the Directory.

Services and resources
made available to local
governments
An online Resource Centre has been cre-
ated (http://www.observ-ocd.org) offering
services,  information  and  resources  to
cities  and  regions  which  would  like  to
establish  or  develop  their  own  decen-
tralised cooperation schemes. 

Discussions and effects
on Decentralised
Cooperation 
A  series  of  specialised  publications  has
been  launched  and  distributed  through-
out  the  two  regions,  including  the
the  publication  entitled
Yearbook, 
“Observa”,  studies  on  Decentralised
Cooperation and others.

One  of  these  resources  is  the  offer  of
training  for  technical  staff  and  elected
officials. Based on OCD practices and dis-

In conjunction with research activities, dis-
cussion forums have been created so that
experts and local government officials can

in 

the 

The  OCD  is  already  acknowledged  as  an
important  player 
realm  of
Decentralised Cooperation; it has actively
participated  (through  the  provision  of
technical  support)  in  different  processes
involving local actors from both regions (I
Latin  American  Mayor’s  Forum,  technical
preparation  of  the  upcoming  Euro-Latin
American Local Government Forum, etc.)
and  has  contributed  to  the  drafting  of
reports  on  the  role  of  local  entities  in
development  and  cooperation  compiled
by different institutions (Committee of the
Regions, European Parliament, etc.). 

Likewise,  end  users’  recognition  of  the
OCD (municipalities and regions) is on the
rise  as  the  resources  and  services  it  pro-
vides  are  increasingly  disseminated.  This
local impact is proof of the relevance and
■
fitness of the OCD.

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PROJECTS

Over 135 joint projects have concluded their activities under the 
13 networks of the first and second phases of the Programme 

Over 135 projects for exchanging experiences have concluded their activities under the networks of the two phases,
including 12 Type B projects.

In the second half 2006 and the first half 2007, 23 joint projects concluded their activities. 

Coordinador

Country Project number Project title

Prefeitura de São Paulo

Intendencia de Rosario
Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart
Provincia di Treviso 
Ayuntamiento de Madrid 
Ayuntamiento de Córdoba

BRA

ARG
AL
IT
ES
ES

R7-A3-03

R7-B1-03
R8-B2-03
R8-B2-04
R9-A3-04
R9-A4-04

Comune di Venezia 

IT

R9-A5-04

Prefeitura de Belo Horizonte

BRA

R9-A6-04

Ayuntamiento de Lloret de Mar 

Ayuntamiento de Granada

Piracicaba

Queretaro

ES

ES

R10-A5-04

R10-A12-04

BRA

R10-A17-04

MEX

R10-A8-04

Ayuntamiento de Sant Boi 
de Llobregat
Diputación Provincial de Huelva
Comune di Latina 

Ayuntamiento de San Sebastián 
(Donostia)
Municipalidad de Curuzú Cuatiá
Comune di Segrate
Consell Comarcal del Maresme

ES

ES
IT

ES

ARG
IT
ES

R12-A3-04

R12-A13-04
R12-A2-05

R13-A7-04

O acesso ao solo e habitação social em cidades grandes de regiões
metropolitanas da América latina e Europa
Rosario SUMA: Una Solución Urbana desde una Mirada Alternativa 
MOVI-MAN
OROS: Observatory for Road Safety
Guía de buenas prácticas en la gestión financiera local
Particip@ndo en la gobernabilidad local: impacto de los 
presupuestos participativos en la administración pública local
El presupuesto participativo como instrumento de lucha 
contra la exclusión social y territorial
Instrumentos de articulação entre Planejamento Territorial e 
Orçamento participativo
Estrategias integradas para reducir la exclusión social entre la 
población joven y adulta mayor de 45 años, especialmente 
femenina, en el sector terciario
“Integración de los inmigrantes en la ciudad como forma 
Políticas e ações municipais de segurança alimentar: realidade, 
limites e possibilidades da interstorialidadede combate de la pobreza”
Politicas e acções municipais de segurança alimentar: realidade, 
limites e posibilidades da interstorialidade
Formación de personal de municipios para utilizar los programas 
de cooperación internacional como herramienta de combate 
a la pobreza en sus proyectos locales
Promoción y capacitación políticas para mujeres

PRO-IGUAL
Observatorio Internacional para los Derechos y las Oportunidades 
de Mujeres Solteras Jefes de Familia
Aproximar las TIC a los ciudadanos mediante el aprendizaje 
permanente

R13-A10-04 Observatorio participativo: de la e-exclusión a la e-inclusión
R13-A11-04
R13-A8-05

Telemunicipio Saludable
Aplicación innovadora de las TICs en el desarrollo de 
territorios turísticos emergentes
Disminución de la percepción de inseguridad (temor) de 
los habitantes de las comunas
The impact of urban plan on the prevention of the crime
El protagonismo del gobierno local como articulador en l
a integración de políticas participativas de seguridad ciudadana
Consolidación de los gobiernos locales en seguridad 
ciudadana: formación y prácticas

Municipalidad de Maule

CHI

R14-A3-04

Provincia di Padova
Prefeitura de Guarulhos

Regione Toscana

IT
BR

IT

R14-A4-04
R14-A6-04

R14-A2-05

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CONTACTOS

Your Commission contacts

Coordinator:
Projects Managers:

Secretary:

Vittorio TONUTTI
Concepción PÉREZ 
CÁMARAS
Piotr KASPRZYK 
Carmen DURÁN

Address: 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION
EuropeAid Cooperation office
Latin America Directorate
Unit B2 “Centralised operations: Latin America”
URB-AL Programme - J54 4/38 - B -1049 Brussels (Belgium)
Phone:  (32-2) 295 20 24  -  Fax:  (32 2) 292 10 18
http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/projects/urbal/index_en.htm

DELEGATION

Argentina

Bolivia

Brasil

Chile

Colombia:

Cuba

Ecuador

El Salvador

Guatemala

Honduras

México

Nicaragua

Panamá - Costa Rica

Paraguay

Perú

Uruguay

Venezuela

CONTACT

Constanza AJA ESPIL
Tel. (5411) 4805-3759
Constanza.aja-espil@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delarg.ec.europa.eu

Ivo HOEFKENS
Tel. (591-2) 278 22 44
Ivo.hoefkens@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delbol.ec.europa.eu

Gabriela ANTUNES
Tel. (55-61) 248 3122 — Fax  (55-61) 248 07 00
Gabriela.antunes@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delbra.ec.europa.eu/

Joachim ROTH
Tel. (56-2) 335 24 50
Joachim.roth@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delchl.ec.europa.eu

Gonzalo FOURNIER
Tel. (57-1) 658-1150 
Gonzalo.fournier@ec.europa.eu  — http://www.delcol.ec.europa.eu

Robert STEINLECHNER
Tel.( 53-7) 204-0327
Robert.steinlechner@ec.europa.eu — http://www.deldom.ec.europa.eu 

Roberto COGNO
Tel. (593-2) 2523-912
Roberto.cogno@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delcol.ec.europa.eu 

Martina HUBER
Tel. (503) 2243-2424 — Fax (503) 2243-2525
Martina.huber@ec.europa.eu – http://www.delnic.ec.europa.eu 

Carlos GONZÁLEZ
Tel. (502) 2384-2500
Carlos.gonzalez@ec.europa.eu – http://www.delgtm.ec.europa.eu 

Vanesa VALLADARES
Tel. (504) 231 19 65 — Fax (504) 239 99 94
Vanesa.valladares@ec.europa.eu – http://www.delnic.ec.europa.eu 

Aurélie PANCERA
Tel. (52) 55 40 33 45
Aurelie.pancera@ec.europa.eu  — http://www.delmex.ec.europa.eu/ 

Susana FERNÁNDEZ
Tel. (505) 270 44 99 — Fax  (505) 270 44 84
Susana.fernandez-rodriguez@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delnic.ec.europa.eu

Maite MARTÍNEZ
Tel. (507) 265-3223 (Panamá) y (506) 283-2959 (Costa Rica)
Maite.martinez-pardo@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delcri.ec.europa.eu 

Vera VALENTE
Tel. (595-21) 20 60 69 — Fax (595-21) 21 39 75
Vera.valente@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delury.ec.europa.eu   

José Luis ARTEAGA CÉSPEDES
Tel.( 51-1) 212 11 35
Jose-luis.arteaga-cespedes@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delper.ec.europa.eu

Natividad Lorenzo 
Tel. (598-2) 19 44 01 26
natividad.lorenzo-sanmartin@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delury.ec.europa.eu 

Jean-Charles FIEHRER
Tel. (58-212) 991 51 33 
Jean-charles.fiehrer@ec.europa.eu — http://www.delven.ec.europa.eu

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

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ADDRESS BOOK

Information sources

NETWORK 9
Local finance and participative budget 
Coordination:  Prefeitura Municipal de Porto Alegre
Contact:  
Adress:  

Clóvis Magalhães
Programa URB-AL Rede 9
Siqueira Campos 1300 – Sala 609
CEP 90010-170 - Porto Alegre – RS 
Brasil
(55-51) 3289-3442
(55-51) 32 28 04 7 29
Urbal9@gpo.prefpoa.com.br – 
portella@gpo.prefpoa.com.br 
http://www2.portoalegre.rs.gov.br/urbal9/

NETWORK 10
The fight against urban poverty  
Coordination:  Prefeitura Municipal de São Paulo
Contact:

Sara Garcia Martins (coordinadora adjunta)
Secretaria Municipal de Relações Internacionais
Programa URB-AL Rede 10
Palácio Anhangabaú - 
Viaduto do Chá, 15 - 7o.andar
CEP 01002-020 - São Paulo-SP 
Brasil
(55-11) 3107-0318 / 3113-8554
(55-11) 3113-8526 
saramartins@prefeitura.sp.gov.br 
http://portal.prefeitura.sp.gov.br/secretarias/
relacoes_internacionais
http://ww2.prefeitura.sp.gov.br//urbal/home.html

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail:

@

Adress: 

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail: 
@ 

NETWORK 12
Promoting the role of women in local decision-making
Coordination: Diputación Provincial de Barcelona
Elisabeth Maluquer
Contact:
Gabinet de Relacions Internacionals
Còrsega 300, pral. 1.ª
E-08008 Barcelona
(34) 934 02 20 55
(34) 934 02 24 73
maluquerme@diba.cat 
http://www.diba.es/urbal12

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail:
@

Adress: 

NETWORK 13
Towns and the information society
Coordination: Freie Hansestadt Bremen
Claire Klindt
Contact: 
Office Network 13
Adress: 
Kreuzstrasse 72
D-28203 Bremen
(49-421) 3695-433
(49-421) 3695-425
claire@whitebalance.de
http://www.bremen.de/urb-al/

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail:
@

16

urb-al info n° 24 / FIRST SEMESTER 2007

NETWORK 14
Citizens’ safety in towns
Coordination:  Municipalidad de Valparaíso
Contact: 
Adress:

Gustavo Paulsen
Programa URB-AL Red 14
Blanco 1663 – Oficina 1002
Valparaíso 
Chile
(56-32) 93 95 71
(56-32) 93 95 72
red14@urbalvalparaiso.cl
http://www.urbalvalparaiso.cl

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail:
@

Observatory of EU-LA local decentralised cooperation
Coordination:  Diputación de Barcelona
Contact:
Adress:

Agustí Fernández de Losada Passols
Còrsega 300, pral. 1.ª
E-08008 Barcelona
(34) 934 02 20 55 
(34) 934 02 24 73 
ocd.bcn@diba.es 
http://www.observ-ocd.org/

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail: 
@ 

URB-AL Programme Document Centre
Coordination:  Ayuntamiento de Málaga
Contact: 
Adress: 

Pedro Marín Cots 
Plaza de la Alcazaba, s/n
Ed. Aparcamientos
E-29012 Málaga

Tel.:
Fax:
E-Mail: 
@ 

(34) 952 60 27 77

(34) 952 22 30 92
info@omau-malaga.com 
http://www.centrourbal.com/

KQ-AB-07-024-EN-C