Citizens Open Forums 2007

Fostering the culture of debate in Prizren on the issues of vital importance for the city, respectively the importance of protection the city’s cultural heritage and increase the general awareness on the need and necessity of protection, development and promotion of cultural heritage as a potential for the development of cultural tourism in Prizren.

Through this project, EC Ma Ndryshe has created a successful model of a citizens’ forum, where everybody can come and debate directly with the responsible persons and have the chance to listen to experts, civil society and other citizens concerns. This formula of debating for crucial issues has proved to be highly efficient, by stimulating a long discussion in different citizen circles and stimulating officials to undertake concrete measures and steps to improve the situation in the sector. Most of the present audience confirmed the absence and the urgent need and necessity of this instrument (forums) as an efficient way of promoting the missing culture of debate in Prizren and influencing the decision-making by giving voice to citizens’ concerns and providing them the chance to channel these concerns directly to the responsible officials of local and central government.

Other results achieved through this project: the raise of communication between citizen and local government, raising the awareness of citizens of Prizren for an alternative approach to cultural heritage of the city (cultural tourism), reaching a wide audience by broadcasting the debates in central and local TV stations, drawing the public opinion’s attraction to the abusiveness with the cultural heritage sites in Prizren, etc.