In the framework of rolling-out of MuSPP Self-sufficiency Toolbox, the first Training of Targeted Groups on Drafting Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) was held in Mitrovica North from 6th to 8th of October. The training was facilitated by trainers identified in the Training of Trainers phase, respectively officials coming from the Municipality of Peja/Peć, Partesh/Parteš and Severna Mitrovica/Mitrovica Veriore.

The training was opened with introductory remarks on the purpose of MuSPP Toolbox, a glance at MuSPP decade of supporting municipalities and central institutions in the field of spatial and environmental planning and the demonstration of strategic planning implementation on the ground through Capital Investment Projects.

The training was delivered in 6 sessions through presentations, discussions and exercises. The sessions covered topics of legislation, different conceptual and methodological approaches towards drafting environmental assessments of policies, plans, programmes and projects; as well as methods and tools used for integrating SEA with strategic planning and decision-making. The importance of drafting the SEA in parallel with drafting of plans and programmes to ensure their sustainability and environment-friendly implementation was emphasized and illustrated with practical examples of SEAs that were drafted with MuSPP support.  

Despite the fact that this module is a highly technical one and the SEA a quite new practice and requirement in Kosovo and even in developed countries, one could see from the group work and especially from exercises presentations that the provided substance was very well understood and even translated in local context.

The participants were municipal officials from Mitrovicë/Mitrovica, Zvečan/Zveçan, Leposaviq/Leposavić, Severna Mitrovica/Mitrovica Veriore and Vushtrri/Vučitrn and representatives of civil society organizations e.g. "Omladinska inicijativa" from Leposaviq/Leposavić, "Mundësia" and "Geo-Environment" from Mitrovicë/Mitrovica.

The synergy between participants and facilitators from different backgrounds such as spatial planning and environment, different sectors governmental and non-governmental ones, as well as from different ethnicities, made the training quite energetic and interactive.

At the end, participants were ceremonially given the certificates of attendance and the trainers were awarded the ones for outstanding performance in delivering the training.