Parten's Profile

The Iberoamerican and Caribbean Forum on Best Practices was established with the support of the Government of Spain to serve as the regional arm of the BLP. The Forum is conceived as continuous process by which different public and private entities can hold debates and mutually benefit from the experiences and lessons they have learned through their activities in their various areas of expertise related to improving the living environment. It is a network of organizations from across the region representing all sectors of society working to improve the living environment. The Forum is coordinated by a Secretariat made up of UN-HABITAT, the Government of Spain and one representative of 5 sub-regional Nodes that are responsible for the implementation of activities sub-regionally. Currently the Node serving on the Secretariat is the Fundación Habitat Colombia, Bogota. The other sub-regional Nodes are the Brasilian Institute for Municipal Administration (IBAM), Rio de Janeiro, Center for housing and Urban Studies, DF Mexico and El Agora, Cordoba, Argentina.

In order to contribute to the identification and transfer of Best Practices in the Latin American and Caribbean region, the Forum has adopted two principal areas of action; the first is to identify new Best Practices and the second is to stimulate the transfer of Best Practices knowledge.

In regard to the identification of Best Practices the Forum acts to widely publicize the Dubai International Award for Best Practices. The Forum identifies and encourages the presentation of practices to the Award; technically assists the applicants; verifies and validates the experience; compiles and selects complimentary documentation; and finally, acts as a bridge between the Best Practices Programme and the promoters of the experience.

In regard to the transfer of experiences, the Forum promotes the wide dissemination and transfer of Best Practices knowledge and lessons learned. It also undertakes intensive analyses of these experiences in order to extract the lessons learned and transfer them to others organisations through publication of case studies, thematic analysis and other capacity building materials. In addition, the Forum undertakes technical surveys and facilitates related conferences and workshops.

Contacts:

The Ministry of Development of the Government of Spain,
Email: jlnicolas@mfom.es
Web: http://www.mfom.es

The Fundación Habitat Colombia
Email: habitcol@colnodo.apc.org

The Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean of UN-HABITAT - ROLAC
Email: walsh@habitat-lac.org
Web: http://www.habitat-lac.org

The regional Nodes are administered by the following organization:

1. Mexico, Central America and the Spanish-speaking Caribbean Region
Centro de la Vivienda y Estudios Urbanos (CENVI) D.F. Mexico
Email: cenviac@laneta.apc.org

2. Andino Group Region, Fundación Habitat Colombia, Bogota, Colombia
Email: habitcol@colnodo.apc.org

3. Brazil, Brazilian Institute for Municipal Administration - IBAM, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Email: ibam@ibam.org.br
Web: http://www.ibam.org.br

4. Cono Sur Region, El Agora, Cordoba, Argentina.
Email: laub@agora.com.ar