Gender equality and the inclusion of women in decision-making processes have moved to the forefront of the political debate in the MENA region in recent decades. The presentations and concepts introduced by the speakers triggered a lively discussion with the participants and resulted in recommendations for the promotion of women in municipal leadership positions.

The design of the hiking trails and the development of the vision for ecotourism in Kufranja, known as the "City of Oxygen", were at the centre of the workshop. Experts provided critical insights into the experiences and findings in the field of sustainable tourism and nature conservation in Jordan and the MENA region. They gave valuable feedback as part of the peer-to-peer exchange.

In this good practice, partnership-based cooperation with indigenous communities and their organisations as well as the commitment of political decision-makers are important success factors, for example in establishing a centre for indigenous medicine in Yarinacocha or implementing projects for the benefit of the indigenous population in the areas of local governance, biodiversity and autonomous indigenous energy supply.

The historic old town of Banepa in Nepal unfolds along a road of around 1.2 kilometers. Many of the houses are not in good condition. The town of Banepa is now restoring its historic centre and a retirement home using traditional construction methods. Bio-based building materials such as wood, bamboo, brick and clay are much more sustainable and earthquake-resistant than cement or concrete.

The event brought together 19 municipalities from eight countries in Southeast Europe and Germany. Participants faced similar challenges in promoting renewable energy initiatives, emphasising the need to increase knowledge and expertise in order to make progress in this area. Practical examples from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia and Ukraine enriched the discussion.

With a share of up to 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions, the construction sector is one of the most energy-intensive economic sectors and is therefore partly responsible for global climate change. Connective Cities aims to explore the topic of circular economy and carbon accounting in cities together with municipal experts from around the world, including practical examples from Bhutan and Germany.

This event marks the finale of our learning process on the topic of "Evacuation and Accommodation of Evacuated People in Urban Areas", which began with a dialog event in Cologne back in March 2023 and led to a series of exciting follow-up activities. We welcome our participants to be part of this milestone and to review the progress made together.