Right to the City: Fight for Our City or Heritage’s Downfall?
Welcome to Kotor, a city on the brink of losing its UNESCO World Heritage status! Yes, you read that right. At a recent World Heritage Committee session, it was highlighted that Kotor’s development is heading in the wrong direction, threatening its outstanding universal value. Why? Due to inadequate management, poor planning, and ignoring the community that lives there.
Institutions Under Fire
Local and state authorities seem to have forgotten that the city is not their toy. Kotor belongs to all of us, especially when it comes to heritage of all humanity. But where is the voice of the citizens? Where is activism?
Architects Aleksandra Kapetanović and Tatjana Rajić, founders of NGO Expeditio, clearly state that it is high time the community’s voice is heard and the right to the city must be reclaimed. If concrete measures are not taken, Kotor could be removed from the World Heritage list.
Profit Over Everything?
Sonja Dragović from Lisbon points out the alarming situation in Montenegro – contemporary housing construction is driven solely by profit, lacking innovation and neglecting quality of life. Architecture students lack tools to understand their position in the system, and this is a problem that must be addressed.
Activism: The Only Hope
But it’s not all doom and gloom! Groups like “Who if not an architect” have managed to stop harmful projects. All thanks to a mobilized community. Without people willing to participate, nothing can change.
Aleksandar Radunović, a dramaturge and activist, highlights that the problem lies in the state being captured by parties and an electoral system that doesn’t allow new people to emerge. Activism is hindered, and technology fragments us. He also notes that cynicism is a big problem – everyone criticizes, but no one acts.
Right to the City Is Not Just Physical Access
Architect Iva Čukić, via video message, reminds us that most citizens do not recognize the right to the city as something that belongs to them. Cities are changing, green spaces are disappearing, and public spaces are regulated so that we cannot freely use them. People lose the sense of belonging and power to decide about the space they live in.
The right to the city is not just the right to enter a space, but the right to decide how the space is shaped, used, and preserved. It is a collective right that must become political action, not just the backdrop of our lives.
Conclusion: The City Is Ours, But Will We Reclaim It?
The second night of the Philosopher’s Square was filled with inspiring debates on activism, art, and community. The message is clear: the right to the city is not given, it is reclaimed. If we don’t want Kotor and other cities to become just playgrounds for profiteers and tourists, we must get involved.
And you? Are you ready to fight for your city or just watch it be destroyed? If you have a good tip or have already participated in activism, drop a comment below – maybe your story will inspire someone else!
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