New Delhi, 27 January - 2 February 2006 - Twenty-two senior representatives from the Asia Pacific region belonging to national local government training institutes just concluded a week long training-of-trainers programme based-on one of UN-HABITAT’s most successful publications “The Local Elected Leadership Series”. Participants were drawn from nine countries: China, Fiji, India, Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Papua New Guinea and Sri Lanka. The event was hosted by the training arm of HUDCO-India known as the Human Settlements Management Institute. The programme provided an opportunity to upgrade the skills of trainers from the region, share more innovative approaches to training, and develop their core knowledge within key areas of interest to local governments. It was designed to provide an opportunity for the trainers to practice their acquired skills by training elected officials themselves during a two-day pilot workshop. This method of training has proven highly successful. HSMI has itself trained over 40 trainers from India, who in turn have trained many thousands of councillors.

The pilot workshop was attended by locally elected councillors from the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Haryana. The feedback from the piloting was very positive. As summarised by one of the trainees, Ms. Sarubala Thondaiman, Mayor, Tiruchirappalli City Corporation at the closing ceremony: “The financial and leadership competencies were especially useful and exactly what we need to practice on the ground. The interactive sessions were most appreciated, rather than the use of lectures. We thoroughly enjoyed it and will make sure to implement this in our regions”.