Strong local leadership is a cornerstone for ensuring good democratic governance and setting a clear, progressive direction for local authorities. The Leadership Academy Programme (LAP) underscores the importance not only of leadership but also of inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making as a means of developing accountable and transparent municipalities where people are eager to live and work.
The city of Grado is presently hosting the impactful third stage of the LAP, an initiative that has successfully engaged around 20 public officials from various local authorities across the Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) region. This programme, an excellent example of the Centre of Expertise for Good Governance’s commitment to strengthening local leadership and democratic governance, is implemented in cooperation with the Italian Association for the European Council of Municipalities and Regions (AICCRE) FVG and the Institute of International Sociology Gorizia (ISIG).
Participants of the Leadership Academy Programme have expressed enthusiasm and demonstrated engagement, consistently sharing how they are applying insights and tools from the programme in their daily work. This real-world application underlines the practical and transformative nature of the LAP.
Building on outputs of two earlier stages held since September 2023, this third stage in Grado continues the interactive learning and development journey for local leaders. The programme's content is rich and interactive, focusing on hands-on application in co-projecting with stakeholders to ensure the upholding of democratic standards in the daily operations of local authorities.
A highlight of the programme includes a special session on the Council of Europe's framework on civil participation in decision-making and of its toolkit targeting local resilience. This session provides practical guidance on designing and implementing projects at the local level in a participatory manner and fostering overall community resilience.
Additionally, on the 18th of November, a conference will be held to engage with LAP participants and a further 60 municipalities to discuss the new CM/Rec(2023)5 on principles of good democratic governance. This significant event will be attended by regional and national authorities of Italy, providing a unique platform for dialogue and collaboration. It represents a pivotal opportunity to expand the programme's impact and to share best practices and insights on enhancing democratic governance at local levels.
