On 14 April 2026, MedCities hosted the final webinar presenting the Preliminary Guide for the Design of Green Urban Spaces in Arid Contexts, marking the closing milestone of their joint capacity-building programme under the project Enhancing Regional Exchanges for Local Service Provision in Libya, funded by GIZ Libya and focused on the pillar of Green Urban Spaces.

The webinar brought together representatives from some of the Libyan municipalities who took part to the capacity building, MedCities members to share the results and lessons learned from the programme, which aimed to strengthen local capacities in green urban planning.

The capacity-building journey for Libyan municipalities

The initiative engaged 5 Libyan municipalities: Garabulli, Tawerga, Zliten, Zweillah and Janzour, in a structured online programme combining training, technical support and peer exchange managed by Prof. and Dr. Yaser Abunnasr. The process enabled municipal teams to explore practical approaches to integrating green infrastructure into local planning, tailored to the specific challenges of Libyan arid environment.

The activities followed a progressive approach, including online training, bilateral technical support and the development of a final knowledge product. This resulting booklet consolidates both the methodological guidance and context-specific insights derived from the participating cities.

Presenting a practical guide for arid contexts

During the webinar, the lead expert presented the key findings and recommendations of the booklet, highlighting strategies for designing and implementing green urban spaces in water-scarce environments. The guide serves as a practical roadmap for municipalities seeking to enhance urban resilience, improve environmental quality, and promote sustainable public spaces.

The session also included reflections from Libyan participating municipalities, who shared their experiences, challenges and lessons learned throughout the process. The webinar marked the final activity of the contract, designed to disseminate results beyond the initial group of municipalities and encourage replication across the Mediterranean region. As foreseen in the programme, the event aimed to promote transferability and peer learning among cities working on green and resilient urban development.