(in photo above) The stakeholders of the S²Cities programme after one of their learning exchange sessions in the Baguio SIGLAT Youth Innovation Hub on 29 February 2024. 

As part of the Safe and Sound Cities (S²Cities) programme, representatives from the city government, civil, and youth sectors of Baguio and Naga, Philippines earlier this first quarter of 2024 underwent capacity building on participatory methods of governance, in addition to conducting a city-to-city learning exchange on their youth engagement efforts.  

Supported by ICLEI Southeast Asia, the local capacity building workshops saw the participation of 12 government officials from Baguio and 17 government officials from Naga trained by the S²Cities local implementing partners Cordilleran Youth Center and WeSolve Foundation, respectively. Meanwhile, 22 delegates from the Naga local government, youth sector, and WeSolve Foundation visited Baguio for a learning exchange which sought to facilitate mutual learning and collaboration between the two cities. 

Baguio (top) and Naga (bottom) local government officials and other stakeholders during their respective capacity-building activities led by the Cordilleran Youth Center and WeSolve Foundation, with the support of ICLEI Southeast Asia.

Specifically, Baguio government representatives were trained on meaningful youth engagement, with ICLEI Southeast Asia presenting the organization’s Youth Empowerment Checklist. In Naga, youth leaders and public servants participated in a capacity building activity to enhance community safety and security through the People’s Budget Ordinance (PBO).  

The learning exchange between the two cities involved a tour of the Baguio youth innovation hub, a tour of the Baguio Smart City Command Center which aims to make Baguio a Smart City by 2027, and knowledge sharing on youth-related activities and programs between the local governments and between the local implementing partners. 

S²Cities is a global programme aiming to improve the safety and well-being of young people in urban environments. It seeks to understand urban systems better and their influence on safety and well-being, build capacity within these systems, and enable youth innovation to solve critical challenges for safer urban environments. It is led by the Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB) Foundation, in partnership with ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability, hosted by the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, with the support of Fondation Botnar.