'My Municipality Starts with Me' Caravan Launched to Foster Community Dialogue on Local Administration

The launch event was attended by H.E. Eng. Mazen Al-Qadi, Speaker of the House of Representatives, H.E. Pierre-Christophe Chatzisavas, Ambassador of the European Union to Jordan, representatives of Expertise France, civil society organisations and partner institutions, as well as the young women and men participating in the caravan.

The discussions will cover a range of topics related to municipal services, digital transformation, complaint response mechanisms, transparency, participatory budgeting, neighbourhood committees, equitable distribution of development projects, local investment and job creation. The views and recommendations collected throughout the caravan will be consolidated into a report to be submitted to the House of Representatives, the Ministry of Local Administration and other relevant stakeholders.

In his remarks, Al-Qadi stressed that sound legislation is built on listening to citizens and involving them in discussions on issues that affect their daily lives. He noted that the views and recommendations gathered through the caravan will contribute to parliamentary discussions on the draft law, helping shape legislation that is more responsive to the needs of citizens and local communities.

He also expressed hope that the draft law would contribute to building a more efficient, transparent and accountable local administration system, improving the quality of public services and expanding community participation, in line with Jordan's political, administrative and economic modernisation process led by His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein.

For his part, Ambassador Chatzisavas noted that effective local administration is a cornerstone of Jordan's political and administrative modernisation. He added that the "My Municipality Starts with Me" Caravan provides a platform for direct engagement with citizens and for conveying their priorities to decision-makers.

He further highlighted that the caravan aims to engage at least 8,000 citizens through around 20 field stops across 10 governorates, while gathering citizens' views and proposals that will be analysed and incorporated into a report for the relevant national authorities.

Amer Abu Dalo, Director General of the We Rise Center for Sustainable Development, said that the caravan will serve as a mobile platform for dialogue, reaching citizens in universities, youth and community centres, markets and public spaces. The initiative aims to simplify information on local administration, raise awareness of the role of municipalities, and listen to citizens' experiences and priorities in an open and impartial manner.

He explained that the caravan will feature facilitated dialogues, rapid surveys, interactive engagement tools and a digital participation platform, in addition to recording short video messages reflecting the needs and aspirations of local communities.