The first "Training of Targeted Groups" of the module on Public Participation in Spatial Planning was held in Mitrovica North, from 8^th to 10^th of September 2015, by the trainers that were identified in the "Training of Trainers", as part of the Rolling-out of Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme (MuSPP) Toolbox 'My Companion Towards Self-Sufficiency'. The pool of trainers was comprised of officials from Municipalities of Mitrovica North, Zubin Potok and from the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, and were supported by the MuSPP/UN-Habitat team.

The 21 participants from government and civil society coming from 7 municipalities of Northern Kosovo: Severna Mitrovica /Mitrovica Veriore, Mitrovica/Mitrovicë, Leposavić/Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, Zvečan, Podujevë/Podujevo and Vushtrri/Vučitrn followed the 3-day training  with an intense yet diverse programme containing plenary presentations and group work.  

The first day started with opening remarks on the MuSPP experience, achievements and lessons learned during the decade of making better cities in Kosovo by Ms. Gwendoline Mennetrier, CTA of MuSPP. She also highlighted the potential of the actual training to inspire participants for drafting and implementing spatial plans in an inclusive and participatory manner in their respective municipalities.

During the training the participants were provided with the know-how in understanding and managing the process of public participation and gender mainstreaming in spatial planning through illustrative example of Visioning. Moreover, it offered the conceptual and legal framework on public participation and gender perspective in relation to the spatial planning process with a practical step-by-step approach on planning and implementing public participation activities.

The MuSPP trainers added value to the training by sharing views and insights for addressing and solving in the best way issues they are facing in their different local and central governments.

The knowledge transfer included exercises based on role-plays and local case examples. The exercises were designed in such a way to enable learning through a very interactive approach starting with the differences between gender and sex and needs of women and men in municipal planning processes. This was followed by the development of stakeholder analysis of three municipalities with different context, common vision development by different stakeholders based on role-plays and concretizing with development of a detailed activity plan for public participation process.

Furthermore, representatives from local and central government as well as civil society had the opportunity to exchange experiences and discuss the challenges in involving the public in the process of drafting and implementing spatial planning documents in their respective municipalities with Albanian, Serbian and Bosniac communities.