How to effectively use the “envisioning technique’ in participatory planning and to what extent the results of the visioning workshops had been reflected in municipal and urban development plans of partner municipalities were discussed during a Round Table Meeting organised by UN-HABITAT’s Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme in cooperation with Cultural Heritage without Border and Friedrich Ebert Foundation FES, on October 9, 2009. Representatives of nine municipalities, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, the Ministry of Local Governance, the Institute of Environment and Spatial Planning, and civil society organisations took part in the discussion and pointed out the achievements of the visioning workshops as well as challenges derived from them.

The purpose of this event was to provide feedback on the first cycle of envisioning workshops and deliver recommendations on how to use the technique in other municipalities. In his welcoming remarks, the Minister of Environment and Spatial Planning, Mr. Mahir Yagcilar pointed to many issues which are closely related to the spatial and urban planning process. The existence of informal settlements and the need for providing land for sustainable development are among key priorities of this Ministry.  

Five partner municipalities of the Municipal Spatial Planning Support Programme presented how the results of the envisioning workshops were reflected in their municipal development plans and capital projects. The voice was given both to municipal officials and to civil society representatives engaged in the visioning workshops, which allowed to hear different perspectives on this topic.

The MuSPP developed a ‘format’ of these workshop which included basic  training of the participants in planning principles, but which is mainly focused on ’learning by doing’. Without any doubt, the envisioning workshops were the most inclusive planning activities ever co-organised by Kosovo municipalities and empowered civil society to contribute in an active way to municipal and urban planning, the participants said.   

Successful examples like Mitrovica and Junik were presented by the municipal officers showing that the priorities raised in the visioning workshops had been incorporated into Municipal and Urban Development plans and they were translated into concrete projects. Some of these projects are now at the final stage of planning, and they will be jointly implemented as Capital Investment Projects by MuSP Programme and the respective municipality.

Meanwhile, in some municipalities civil society representatives raised their concerns about the lack of cooperation with local government authorities. It was highlighted that citizens are not included in all decision making processes. Due to frequent political change in municipalities, new challenges for building good relations with local authorities arise.

Representatives coming from Civil Society and Municipal Government, made a significant contribution during the round table discussion, which shows the sense of ownership of plans, which was built through their involvement in the planning processes.

It was concluded that all experiences and lessons learned will be shared with other municipalities too.