The Municipality of Vushtrri/Vucitrn, in partnership with UN-Habitat Kosovo and UNKT, on Tuesday 15^th organized the first “Inception Workshop for the Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of Vushtrri/Vucitrn – Roadmap towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 “ launching Vushtrri as Kosovo’s first municipality to produce VLR, joining an international community of practice as the 117^th municipality globally to produce such a report demonstrating their committed to advancing SDGs implementation at the local level.

The workshop was opened by Mr. Ferit Idrizi, Mayor of Vushtrri/Vucitrn, Ms. Ulrika Richardson, UN Development Coordinator, Mr. Omar Siddique, Head of Office of UN-Habitat Kosovo, Ms. Fatmire Kollcaku, Head of the Council for Sustainable Development, and Ms. Learta Hollaj, Advisor to the President of Kosovo on Sustainable Development. The kick off workshop also convened relevant stakeholders such as: United Nations agencies in Kosovo, central agencies (including Kosovo Agency for Statistics), representatives from all municipal departments, diverse members of civil society, private sector, academia, and members of different ethnic communities residing in the municipality.

The workshop’s aim was to provide an opportunity for local stakeholders preparing the VLR Report for Vushtrri/Vucitrn to understand the importance of the SDGs and VLR Reports, the benefits of producing a VLR and how it will influence the implementation of the Municipal Development Plan and related Capital Investment priorities for the municipality. The workshop identified and validated the following 8 SDGs as the main focus of the VLR for the municipality:

• SDG1, No Poverty
• SDG2, Zero Hunger
• SDG3, Good Health and Well-Being
• SDG4, Quality Education
• SDG5, Gender Equality
• SDG7, Affordable and Clean Energy
• SDG8, Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG11, Sustainable Cities and Communities

Each of these goals and relevant targets were further contextualized within the local context. In terms of indicators,  data gaps and data providers for the future preparation of the VLR were also identified in the workshop.

The Voluntary Local Review for Vushtrri/Vucitrn opens avenues for other municipalities in Kosovo to better understand their current standing in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting the areas where most urgent actions are needed, and allowing them to join the global conversation on sustainable development.