The International Urban Training Center (IUTC), established in 2007 by Gangwon Province and UN-Habitat, is a leading institution for capacity-building in sustainable urban and regional development. Based in South Korea, it has trained over 3,800 participants from 54 countries through more than 130 programs, equipping policymakers and local officials with tools to advance sustainable urbanization, environmental planning, heritage conservation, and local revitalization in line with the SDGs.

Between 2016 and 2025, IUTC partnered with Sri Lanka’s North Central Provincial Council and Anuradhapura District Secretariat to deliver targeted training addressing flooding, drought, deforestation, waste management, and human-wildlife conflict. The initiative strengthened institutional capacity, improved planning and heritage preservation, and enhanced resilience in vulnerable communities — demonstrating a scalable model that combines global expertise with local governance to advance sustainable urban development worldwide.