Best Practices Laureates' Forum
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 21, 2000
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Recommendations of the DIABP Laureates Forum

Organisers: Co-hosted by Dubai Municipality and UN-Habitat

Following statements made at the Forum meeting by Mr. Obaid Salem Al Shamsi, Assistant Director-General for Admin. and General Services Affairs and member of the DIABP Board of Trustees and Mr. Nicholas You, Co-ordinator, UNCHS Information and Best Practices Unit, the participants in the Forum had detailed discussions on various relevant issues and came to the following conclusions and recommendations:

The Forum of DIABP Laureates focused on the following issues regarding the transfer and promotion of best practices, including the dissemination of information about the DIABP Award:

1. Transfer of Best Practices;
2. Updating and feedback of information;
3. The information system (informal networks, websites, databases);
4. Promotion of Best Practices;
Resources.

1. Transfer of Best Practices
The Forum committed itself to the transfer of information regarding each Best Practice.
Suggestions for achieving this included:

a. Exhibition posters and other media at each biennial meeting providing the status of previously identified Best Practices;

b. Multiple language pamphlets (English as a core language);

c. Videos;

d. Exchange visits;

e. Workshops, conferences, seminars, other symposia;

f. Partnerships;

g. Thematic, hierarchical, dynamic central database facilitating access to information relevant to the reader, updated as frequently as every 6 months.

2. Updating and feedback of information
The Forum committed itself to updating information and providing feedback regularly about the status of each Best Practice.
Specifically:

a. Substantive information regarding progress will be submitted regularly on a quarterly basis as a matter of principle; semi-annual or annual reports may be submitted if appropriate to the Best Practice;

b. Progress will address both the Best Practice itself and what transfer has occurred;

c. UN-Habitat will provide a format with fixed indicators for this reporting.

3. The information system (informal networks, websites, databases)
The Forum acknowledged the importance of maintaining an active, vibrant information system.
Specifically:

a. Informal networks will be built and used on an as-needed basis, as appropriate to each Best Practice;

b. Sulabh International (India) offered, and the Forum accepted with appreciation, to develop and disseminate to Laureates an electronic bulletin format that will be operated in all of the UN languages. The Forum also accepted with gratitude the offer by Sulabh International to prepare an International Encyclopedia on sanitation;

c. The Forum received clarification about the copyright of information taken from the Best Practice website. It learned that Laureates will be able to access the website free-of-charge and pass that capability to others; and that information from the website is not subject to copyright restrictions.

4. Promotion
The Forum committed itself to active promotion of each Best Practice and of the Dubai International Award.
Each Laureate will undertake promotion, as an ambassador of the program, in both English and the language appropriate to its work. Possible promotion will include:

a. Short video (e.g., 5 minutes, BetaCam), with the possible assistance of the Dubai Municipality and UNCHS, geared to use by television, highlighting both the DIA and the 10 Best Practices of 2000; this would be sent to each government of the Laureates 2000, each of the 30 Laureates and to the various UN networks by the two organizations;

b. Leaflets (award-focussed) - Sulabh International graciously offered, and the Forum accepted with appreciation, to develop a format using English, with each Laureate translating into the appropriate language of the Best Practice;

c. Inclusion of the DIA logo in letterheads of the Laureate organizations. For this UNCHS is requested to send a digital (electronic) version of the logo;

d. Conferences, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, other meetings;

e.Websites;

f. Organization of local, regional, and national gatherings by Laureates to celebrate the winning of the award;

g. Holiday greeting cards incorporating the DIA logo;

h. Television series on the 10 Best Practices of 2000, funded by DM/UNCHS, with each program in the series focussing on one Best Practice;

i. Posters with the logo prominently displayed;

j. Regional thematic seminars.

5. Resources
The Forum recommended that various funding sources be mobilized to undertake the above activities.

a. The Forum recommends that UNCHS provide $15,000 for each regional seminar on thematic subjects. (The Spanish Greenways Programme volunteered to undertake the first such seminar.)

b. Dubai Municipality and UNCHS and the Laureates should initiate efforts to obtain sponsorships for the development and production of a video on Best Practices and DIA for airing globally by such networks as CNN and BBC.

c. DM/UNCHS are requested to provide nominal funding for the production of an updated video for each Best Practice. (The Women's Empowerment Program volunteer to produce such a video for the small sum of $3,000.)

d. Within the means of each Laureate, resources could be provided to implement the recommendations agreed to such as local conferences and leaflets.

Other issues discussed included the following:

a. The Forum recommended that future Award Seminars be held on World Habitat Day to enhance the publicity potential of the event. As many Laureates as possible should be included in the event.

b. The Forum recommended that the draft notes, including a list of participants in the meeting be sent to all Laureates 2000 as a means of generating additional ideas regarding the above issues. A list of Forum participants is attached.