Batumi. On June 21-22 CSI organized a kickoff event of the project Strengthening Civic Engagement and Participatory Governance Capacities in Local Governments The event was attended by the 20 representatives of the public city halls and councils of four target municipalities (Batumi, Chokhatauri, Marneuli and Dmanisi).

The project aims at enhancing the capacity of four partner municipalities to routinely monitor and evaluate public participation in local decision-making processes. თhe kickoff participants got familiarized themselves with CSI’s web-based “Benchmarking Methodology” tool which will help local authorities to recognize the importance of self-assessment and strive towards improving relationships with and strengthening trust among the communities they are to serve.

The participants from different municipalities shared their experience and challenges regarding citizen engagement with each other and planned next steps on how to proceed with the upcoming self-assessment process.

The project Strengthening Civic Engagement and Participatory Governance Capacities is a part of USAID Local Governance Program which is financed by United States Agency for International Development USAID.