10.06.2025

Voluntary Local Reviews: SDG Reporting to Action to Be Held Online on June 19

The global challenges we face today—such as the climate crisis, rising inequalities, and rapid urbanization—make it essential to address sustainable development not only at the national but also at the local level. In this context, Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) serve as a crucial tool for cities to monitor, evaluate, and transparently share their progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By encouraging local ownership of the sustainability agenda and promoting data-driven decision-making, VLRs contribute to measuring cities’ performance on SDGs and building more resilient and inclusive cities.

Organized in collaboration between the Marmara Municipalities Union (MMU), the Association of Palestinian Local Authorities (APLA) and SDG Cities Global Initiative the upcoming City’s Logbook: SDG Reporting to Action webinar—part of the MARUF On the Go* series—will focus on local experiences with the VLR process. The event will provide a platform for cities to exchange knowledge, discuss good practices, and reflect on the challenges encountered throughout their VLR journeys as well as the impacts of the VLR on municipalities' works.

Event Details

Date: June 19, 2025
Time: 10:00–12:30 (GMT+3)
Format: Online Webinar
Language: English, Turkish, Arabic
Registration: http://mbb.bb/vlr

Speakers

Iren Saadeh – Head of Sustainable Development Unit, Ramallah Municipality
Simten Birsöz İnanç –Coordinator of Foreign Affairs, Istanbul Planning Agency
Meryem Cağış – Urban Planner, Fatih Municipality
Milena Dinić Branković – Associate Professor, University of Niš – SDG Localization Expert – Representing the VLR of City of Niš

All those interested in local sustainability efforts and urban resilience are warmly invited to join this insightful exchange.

*MARUF on the Go is a series of multi-stakeholder events that shed light on the themes of the Marmara Urban Forum (MARUF), which will take place on 1–3 October at the Haliç Congress Center. This dynamic process includes interactive gatherings—ranging from panels and workshops to field visits and publications—centered around the production and exchange of knowledge. Open to all urban stakeholders, MARUF on the Go is designed as a set of preliminary stops that extend MARUF through time and space.

Marmara Urban Forum is Türkiye’s first national urban forum, organized biennially by the Marmara Municipalities Union. Set to return in 2025 for its fourth edition, MARUF will once again provide a multi-stakeholder platform for dialogue and collaboration across a wide range of urban issues, under the motto “on the shore of all possibilities.” MARUF is an ecosystem where ideas, people, and good practices converge—making change possible.

MARUF and VLR Sessions:

MARUF provides a platform where cities that have prepared Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) present their reports, discuss the preparation processes, and reflect on the impact of their reviews. In this context, VLR sessions are organized as part of the MARUF process to promote the dissemination of good practices and encourage more cities to engage in VLR preparation.

The first VLR session within the scope of MARUF was held during the second edition of MARUF in 2021. Titled “City’s Logbook: Voluntary Local Reviews of the SDG journey”, the session featured cities from both Turkey and abroad, sharing their experiences and the challenges they encountered during the VLR process. Similarly, a VLR session was held at MARUF 23, where representatives from cities that had prepared VLRs presented their reports and explored the future trajectory of VLR efforts.

As part of MARUF 25, the upcoming VLR session will take place within the MARUF on the Go process under the theme “Voluntary Local Review: From SDG Reporting to Action.”