Organizing a seminar titled “ICT in support of Municipal Administrative development: E-Municipalities” Beirut, on the 28th of February 2004.After its international symposium on “Relationship between Central and Local Administration” on 23-25 September 2002, the Municipal Development Association (MDA) organized in Beirut a seminar entitled” E-Municipalities” on February 28th, 2004 in Hotel Monroe. Seminar was in collaboration with the office of Minister of State for Administrative reform in Lebanon and the Arab Union Development Institute (AUDI). Our audience was mainly the Lebanese Municipalities and also some Arab and European municipalities.

The objective of this event is to raise awareness about the concept and implementation of “E-Municipalities” and encounter Lebanese municipalities to adopt this concept, and spread the concept throughout the Arab world.

     MDA believes that the implementation of E-Municipalities will increase the interactive levels between the Central and Local governments. This interaction will also enhance citizen participation in their local governments and municipalities in Lebanon and the whole Arab World.

The main topics of discussions in the seminar were the following:

First topic: “Introduction to E-Municipalities” – Dr. Raymond Khoury

Second topic: “Legal matters in Implementation” – Dr. Mohammed Alem

Third topic: “Management of Change and Capacity Building” – Dr. Michel Chalhoub

Fourth Topic: “Experience of E-Municipalities” (Lebanon, Finland, Canada, Oman, Germany…)