The project is a respond to a request from the Cuban Government to replicate the LA21 Bayamo experience in other Cuban cities. A National Replication Programme was prepared and all provincial capitals were invited to participate in the selection of an initial set of cities which would be the focus of the programme. The cities of Santa Clara, Cienfuegos and Holguin were selected to be supported in the replication of Bayamo experience.

The Cuba National LA21 Programme is part of the joint UN-HABITAT – UNEP Strategy on Urban Environment in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Activities
During 2003 the centre was rehabilitated allowing creating a state of the art training centre. The training centre is meant to deliver the Environment Planning and Management training course. A large training hall can accommodate up to 30 students. A computer room has been set-up for specialised training. A library bring together the latest literature on the Urban Environment provided by UN-HABITAT and other project partners such as the Programa de Gestión Urbana and publications collected during national and international travel.

An Environment Planning and Management (EPM) training course was prepared during 2003. This course was jointly prepared and delivered by the Institute of Physical Planning, the universities of La Habana and Santa Clara and the Bayamo Local Agenda Project. The course, which is sanctioned by a diploma, is organised through a series of 10 training sessions of one week each, delivered over a period of 15 months (October 2003 to December 2004). The course is attended by two students from each of the 11 provincial capitals. The course provided lectures on the various steps and component of the environment planning and management process, illustrated from real life experience from the LA21 Bayamo project. Practical exercises prepare the students in conducting Local Agenda 21 processes in view to replicate the Bayamo experience in the future.

The project is supporting the publication of the National Planning Magazine. In each issues an extensive article present the LA21 approach and the achievement of the Bayamo LA21 Project. This biannual publication produced in 1,500 copies is distributed to all provincial and municipal governments and offices of physical planning.

Links to documents

Localizing Agenda 21 - Cuba
Diplomado en planeamiento y gestión urbano ambietal
Fortalecimiento de la planificación y gestión urbano-ambiental en las ciudades de Santa Clara, Cienfuegos y Holguín

Project Contact
Sra. Concepción Álvarez
Coordinadora Nacional Programa Agenda 21 Local
Instituto de Planificación Física
Lamparilla # 65 entre San Ignacio y Mercaderes
Habana Vieja
La Habana, Cuba
Tel: (+537) 37 76 22 28/35
Fax: (+537) 37 76 22 28
E-mail: conchita@ipf.co.cu