8 October 2024

On 8 October 2024, a City-to-City Exchange Program for Cities 4 Women project was successfully conducted at Chandragiri Municipality as a post event activity of World Habitat Day celebrated on October 7, 2024. The exchange program, co-organized by UNOPS and UN-Habitat, in collaboration with Chandragiri Municipality, aimed to share experiences among six C4W project-implementing municipalities (Chandragiri, Sunwal, Tansen, Lamkichuha, Dhangadhi, and Birendranagar) to promote sustainable urban planning practices.

The program facilitated exchange and learning of best practices in urban planning, inspired cross-municipal learning, and strengthened municipal networks that contribute towards inclusive, and climate-resilient urbanization in Nepal. More than thirty participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Urban Development and municipal project focal persons, took part in this knowledge-sharing program.

The half-day program began with presentations about Chandragiri’s urban initiatives, and the progress of C4W project implementation in the municipality. This was supported by display of documentation of planning stages and community involvement, which included design renderings and animation of 3D development in various sites. After the presentation, the event was followed with an urban walk, which included tours of open spaces in Balambu, Gafkhel, Matatirtha Park, and Thankot Kotghar. This guided tour of the city’s open spaces allowed participants to directly observe the spaces, and spurred discussions on adapting similar practices in other implementing municipalities. The presentations and the urban walk offered participants a live demonstration of ongoing and successful projects in Chandragiri municipality.

The program concluded with informal discussions and networking in a culturally rich setting, as local youth in traditional Newari attire welcomed guests with folk music and local cuisine, emphasizing the role of cultural preservation in maintaining urban identity. The event highlighted Chandragiri Municipality’s commitment to sustainable urban planning and highlighted youth involvement and participation as an essential to building future-ready cities, aligning with the theme of 2024 World Habitat Day: “Engaging Youth to Create a Better Urban Future.”