On 6^th October, the World Habitat Day 2008, this year under the motto “Harmonious Cities”, was celebrated in Prizren, an old historical town in Kosovo. Municipal officials, representatives from local NGOs, pupils from two schools and MuSPP/ UN-HABITAT team took part in two main activities: a drawing exercise and a round table discussion on the challenges of harmonization of the built-up and natural environment.

Two groups of pupils were invited to the drawing exercise, one of them comprised of the children with hearing and speech impairments. Through drawings children expressed their vision of cities where natural environment and urban development co-exist harmoniously. It was useful for the participants in the discussion; both professionals and laymen, to learn what should be improved or changed in the existing built-up environment to make it friendlier and better adapted to the needs of children. The drawings presented cities with many green areas, trees, playgrounds, fewer buildings and less traffic. They were put on display in the House of Culture and there is a plan to use the best of the drawings as illustrations for the 2009 calendar to be produced.

The ideas presented by children in their drawings inspired discussion on how to balance requirements of sustainable urban development, while giving proper attention to the quality of urban services and healthy natural environment. Another aspect of the discussion focused on how to promote the importance of balanced and sustainable development among professional and the public. Participants in the discussion agreed that awareness raising campaigns are needed to increase the sense of responsibility among citizens for the state of the city, its cleanliness and order, the cleanliness of the river, preservation and protection green areas in the vicinity of historic and cultural monuments, such as the Castle.

Events like this, aimed at the promotion of various aspects of urbanization,   contribute to better understanding of the challenges of modern urban planning across the world and in Kosovo.