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Local Area Development Programme (LADP)

Official Launch of

Sulaimaniyah Provincial Development Strategy 2016-2018

Under the slogan

“Plant the Plan by Planting a Tree”

“Greening Part of Goizha Mountain”

19 November 2015, Sulaimaniyah, Kurdistan Region of Iraq

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Event Profile

Date: 19 November 2015

Venue: Sulaimaniyah , top of Goizha Mountain

Duration: 1 day for the launch and will continue for over a month.

Features: Outdoor activity

Attendees: 800 (500 females 300 males)

Media Coverage: 10 satellite TV channels, 5 local TV channels, 10 radio channels,

15 websites.

Objective and Process of the Event

The workshop was conducted as part of the UNDP Local Area Development Programme, in cooperation and co-funding of the Kurdistan Regional Government and the European Union. The activity aimed at replacing the conventional indoor launch of the Sulaimaniyah Provincial Development Strategy (PDS) by an outdoor activity, whereby the Governor of Sulaimaniyah, H.E Dr. Aso Faraidoon, and his administration together with local community, youth and civil society engaged in addressing in practical terms one of the cross cutting priorities of the Provincial Development Strategy. Along with the official PDS announcement by the Governor, participants engaged in planting pine trees. As a result, and with the active support from the respective Governorate administration, around 200,000 m2 of land in Goizha Mountain will become a young forest through the planting around 50,000 trees.

The main message of the event was: “Plant the plan by planting a tree”. The greening demonstrated that; with immediate action, the plan will not remain only on paper, but lead to tangible and visible results. The action built local ownership of both Governorate and local community as trees bared badges with names of people planting them and respectively adopting them. It will be sustainable through the committed maintenance of the Governorate. One of the

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most serious problems of the region “deforestation” will be addressed and will serve as motivation for other stakeholders and citizens to be aware of and consider actions in preservation and greening of the region. The first tree has been planted by the Governor of Sulaimaniyah and then all participants were distributed in groups and started plating 500 trees, as the launch of the greening activity. The activity will continue until planting about 50,000 trees.

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Attendees Profile

The event participated by H.E. Governor of Sulaimaniya, director general of several directorates, planning and steering committees of the PDS, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, Private Sectors, women and Youth organizations, universities, institutes and secondary schools. The number of participants reached over 800 people.

The event started by the official opening speech by H.E. Dr. Aso Fariadoon, the Governor of Sulaimaniyah and following by UNDP speech and some activities by the participating schools (i.e. environment song, environment lovers show, music ,…etc).

Beyond provision of the logistical notes, the governor of Sulaimanyah planted the first tree and then the groups of guests and students started to plant trees. Each of the participants wrote their names on the nametags and bent them on the trees as memorial and adopting the tree and remembering importance of keeping environment green and forestation activities.

It worth to mention that; the activity has been conducted very successfully and exceeded expectation of all the preparatory committee members. The participants were very happy and proud to be part of the activity and repeated their eagerness and wiliness to participant in such activities in the future.

With this step we have begun the translation of the Provincial Plan from paper into practice and we would like to inspire other stakeholders and citizens to take action in preservation and

greening of the regio

Visibility Materials used during the event :

Leaflet - containing summary information from the provincial plan in English and Kurdish

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Banner: Two 2x3 m banners put in the two ends of the tents. Nametag/Badges for the trees: Participants name the tree behind their names. Vest: simple vest with messages/slogan and stakeholders’ longs on both sides. Hats: with stakeholders’ logos and activity message/slogan. Umbrellas: with a tag including stakeholders’ logos and activity message/slogan. Billboard: 2x3 m, fixed on the top of Goizha mountain, at the spot of the activity. The

billboard includes the slogan, messages, and logos of the stakeholders in English and Kurdish languages.

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Next Step:

- Another event is arranged for planting 500 more pine trees on 26 November 2015, expected participants are over 250 people.

- Complete planting of around 50,000 trees; a committee has been established with representatives from Sulaimaniyah Governorate (lead) and Directorates of Municipality, Forest and Orchard, Gardens, Environment as well as Environment NGO and UNDP. The committee will make sure proper plan and processes are in place to complete the greening activity during the year 2015.