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An expanded consultative meeting was held, organized by UNICEF, to discuss the capacity-building component of the "Community Participation Program." The Municipality of Sidon was represented by Municipal Council Member and Head of the Neighborhood Committee, Mr. Mohammad Shamas, along with representatives from water institutions and other municipalities. The meeting covered the following topics:

Project Vision: A comprehensive presentation was given on how to integrate work activities with the capacity-building component.

Participatory Workshops: Participants engaged in discussion groups to identify current needs and challenges for enhancing community participation.

Training Priorities: The sessions focused on identifying training topics and the skills required to improve institutional performance.

In his remarks during the session, Mr. Mohammad Shamas emphasized the importance of this collaboration, stating, "Activating the role of neighborhood committees is the cornerstone of the success of any capacity-building component. Through this partnership with UNICEF and water institutions, we at the Municipality of Sidon aim to empower local bodies and equip them with the necessary tools to be a genuine and effective link, ensuring that citizens' voices are heard and that they participate in development decision-making." The program included a group discussion on the core principles to be incorporated into the "Participants' Charter" for social engagement. The event concluded with a review of the capacity-building methodology and agreement on the next steps following this meeting.

This participation aims to strengthen the role of local authorities in managing essential resources and services, and to build sustainable bridges of communication with the local community.