Raising awareness about the values of public space

Interview with Tatjana Rajić, architect and program manager at Expeditio, Kotor (Posted on September 10, 2015 at http://readytochange.eu/)

Expeditio is a non-governmental organization whose mission is to encourage sustainable spatial development in Montenegro and South-East Europe region through activity in the fields of sustainable architecture, cultural heritage, urban planning and through projects that encourage overall development of the civil society. Expeditio was established in 1997.

Videos:

ITW part 1 of 3 – Expeditio’s main concerns and intentions ; Involving local communities

ITW part 2 of 3 – Public spaces & empowerment issues: Expeditio’s position and action exposed through 4 projects

ITW part 3 of 3 – About spatial devastation & urban development issues – Role as a Regional advocacy center (2003-2005) and involvement in the regional project HERITAGE – Driver of development (2013-2015)

Find out more about these 4 projects:

1. Sostenuto (2009-2012): From July 2009 to January 2012 Expeditio implemented the project “SOSTENUTO” – Thinking culture as a factor of economic and social innovation – in cooperation with partner organizations from the Mediterranean region, through the European Union MED program.

2. Revival of City Squares in Balkan Cities (2011-2012): As its overall goal, the project “Revival of City Squares in Balkan Cities” aimed to contribute to the revival of city squares as viable public places that foster cultural identity and promote diversity through enforcement of public policies and active community participation. The publication Contribution to cultural and civic participative policies for livable city squares and public spaces was issued at the end of the project ; it is intended as a collection of short stories acquired through experiences, reflections and performances made through various public spaces in Tirana, Dürres, Kotor and Skopje over the two-year project course:

3. Eclectis (2013-2014): ECLECTIS European cooperation project aims at implementing an innovative structuring European process to favour citizens’ integration in the urban making, valuing European diversity, intercultural dialogue and new technologies as sources to stimulate creativity and new practices. The publication A contribution from cultural and creative actors to citizens’ empowermentwas issued at the end of the project:

ECLECTIS also involved ProstoRož (Ljubljana) as a partner, with a project consisting in the revitalization of Tabor neighbourhood in Ljubljana >>> Find out more about this project by watching our interviews with Alenka Korenjak, architect from ProstoRož association.

4. Act4City – Independent cultural actors towards sustainable Balkan cities (starting in 2015): Given that urban environment is a space for everyday life for the majority of people, there is a growing need to empower independent cultural actors to focus more on urban sustainability approach. The main goal of the project ACT4CITY is to strengthen regional cooperation of independent cultural actors in Montenegro, Macedonia, Serbia and Croatia through joint educational, artistic and advocacy actions, promoting the use of creative tools into shaping more sustainable Balkan cities.

Find out more about EXPEDITIO and their other projects in their portfolio at www.expeditio.org

Videos shot in Ljubljana in April 2015 by Relais Culture Europe