Beirut: Today, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), hosted by the Greater Amman Municipality, launched the third edition of the Arab Mayors Academy, a regional initiative designed to equip city leaders with the knowledge, skills and practical tools needed to address urban challenges and turn local priorities into action. According to National News Agency - Lebanon, the two-day event is held in Amman under the theme "Driving Local Transformation: From SDG Localization to Cities with a Better Quality of Life and Greater Resilience", with the participation of 12 governors, mayors, and city leaders from eight Arab countries: Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, the State of Palestine, Saudi Arabia, and Syria. The third edition marks a new stage in the Academy's development, as it is being launched for the first time from an Arab city outside the headquarters of ESCWA, strengthening its direct connection to local realities. The launch event focuses on localizing the Sustainable Development Goals, improving quality of life and strengthening urban resilience. It also includes a field visit to leading urban projects in the city, allowing participants to explore practical experiences and exchange knowledge. This year's curriculum was developed based on a survey that involved more than 80 city leaders from across the Arab region, ensuring that it responds directly to the needs of local authorities and the challenges they face. In his opening remarks, Chairman of the Greater Amman Municipality Committee, Ahmad Al-Malkawe, emphasized that hosting the third edition of the Academy reflected the Municipality's commitment to supporting local leadership and strengthening the role of Arab cities in driving urban transformation and building a more sustainable and inclusive future. Al-Malkawe stated, "The future of cities begins with local leaders who have the vision and ability to turn challenges into solutions, plans into results, and partnerships into tangible impact on people's lives." Nagwa Lachine, SDG Localization and NUA Advancement Programme Officer at UN-Habitat, remarked on the Academy's focus on supporting city leaders in moving from identifying priorities and developing plans to practical implementation. She highlighted the importance of connecting local action with opportunities, partnerships, and resources necessary to deliver tangible results in their cities. The Academy's curriculum this year focuses on a range of priority issues for city leaders, including urban development finance, results-based management, partnerships and resource mobilization, smart cities and digital transformation, housing and basic services, resilience, sustainable urban planning and quality of life. Sukaina Al-Nasrawi, Lead of the Sustainable Urban Development Portfolio at ESCWA, stressed the commitment of ESCWA to strengthening the role of local authorities as key partners in shaping pathways for urban transformation. Through this r egional platform, Arab cities and expertise are brought together, connecting global priorities with local realities, and creating an environment for knowledge exchange and solution development. The first day of the event focuses on adopting a quality-of-life perspective in cities, with discussions on voluntary local reviews (VLRs) and city networks in linking local priorities with regional and global frameworks, alongside presentations of experiences from Arab cities. The second day focuses on urban resilience and its relationship with sustainable development, including a field visit to strategic projects implemented by the Greater Amman Municipality. The Academy follows a blended learning model, combining self-paced learning, online training sessions, interactive webinars, in-person training, and peer exchange. The programme will continue over the coming months and will conclude with an in-person training event and graduation ceremony in December, to be held in partnership with United Cities and Local Gove rnments (UCLG-MENA). Participants who meet programme requirements will receive a joint certificate from UN-Habitat and ESCWA. Through its programme and growing alumni network, the Academy seeks to strengthen cooperation and learning among Arab cities and build a regional network of local leaders capable of driving more inclusive, sustainable and resilient urban development.