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International Course "Promoting Urban and Rural Sustainable Development"
 

The international course “Promoting Urban and Rural Sustainable Development” finished on February 25th at the Weitz Center for Development Studies, in Rehovot.  

20 professionals from Latin America, Africa, Europe and Asia participated in this course organized by the Weitz Center within the framework of the Center for International Cooperation  -MASHAV- of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and together with the Ministry of Environmental Protection of Israel. 

The course included lectures, workshops, and field trips.  The participants discussed topics such as strategic planning for local urban and rural sustainable development, water and waste management, open spaces and biodiversity, combating desertification, sustainable agriculture, irrigation for development, solar energy and its application for development, economic aspects of sustainable development, immigration, Diaspora and development and the use of the new information and communication technologies to promote social participation and sustainable development. 

The participants, who came from different fields including agriculture, local government, engineering and social sciences, also traveled to several places around the country to witness first hand examples of Israel's know-how applied to sustainable development.  They visited a stream area under revitalization, a Kibbutz specializing in organic agriculture, nature reserves, a center dedicated to waste treatment and environmental education, desert areas where tourism and agriculture are promoted, as well as Holy sites in Jerusalem and in the Galilee.