COLLABORATIVE AND PARTICIPATORY PLANNING PROCESSES AND METHODS FOR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

In 2006, The University of Veracruz (UV), the State Government of Veracruz and the United Nations Program for Human Settlements (UN/Habitat) signed an agreement to promote the urban and territorial development of the Veracruz State. This event is the result of The University of Veracruz’s policies on the production of knowledge for the improvement of social and economic conditions in Veracruz through the involvement of the University organization in the real problems of different groups within society. Under this agreement, the University has made a commitment to promote sustainable development in the main regions of Veracruz, fi rstly through the implementation of strategic regional planning using inclusive and participatory methods; and secondly, through the strengthening of state and local authorities’ capacities for the development and implementation of urban and regional policies that have an effective and integral impact on the social, environmental and economic dimensions of cities. The purpose of this paper is to present the participatory exercises conducted by the multidisciplinary academic group of The University of Veracruz, under UN/Habitat-UVVeracruz State Government agreement following the UN methodology to promote Local Economic and Territorial Development. This paper explains these participatory planning experiences, methods and the results in the context of the central urban region of Veracruz State (made up of 15 municipalities).