Towards Collaborative Governance

On March 29, 2021 the third in the series of public discussions on managing spatial development in Serbia was organized as part of our long-term project „Towards collaborative governance“.

Active citizens and empowered civil society, their participation in identifying the problems, developing the potentials and creating the public policies, are fundaments and preconditions for the rule of law, stable institutions and functioning of a democratic society. To what extent and how are the citizens and civil society in Serbia included in the creation of public policies? To what extent are they included in the procedures of urban planning and formulating the policies of spatial development? Is active participation citizens’ duty and obligation, and what does that imply?

This public discussion was focused on the role of citizens and civil society in the creation of public policies in the area of urban development. It aimed at improving informedness and knowledge of the citizens (but also of the professional community) about the public policies relevant for development of the cities, the overarching development concepts behind them and the current practices, focusing on the possibilities of participation in their formulation and implementation.

Participants from different institutions and areas had an opportunity to share their experiences and insights, thus contributing to conception of the new ways of influencing the public policies and institutional setups which inform them:

• dr Ksenija Petovar, retired professor at the Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade: On citizens’ rights and responsibilities in the creation and implementation of urban development policies

• Klara Danilović, Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities: The state of participation in urban planning in the towns and municipalities in Serbia, and examples of good practice

• Ivanka Mihailović, Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence: Strategic framework and stimulating environment for participation of the civil society organizations in planning and implementation of public policies. To what extent do the public authorities see the civil society organizations as their partners?

• Nevena Ružić, Open Society Foundation Serbia: Right to information – free access to information of public importance

The discussion was moderated by Ksenija Radovanović and Ljubica Slavković.

This public discussion was supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation Belgrade. As part of the series of public events and discussions from the project „Diversity in Culture and Activism“ supported by the EU/IPA – Civil Society Facility and Ministry of Culture and Information of the Republic of Serbia, this event contributed to the development of the Internet platform Interactive Urbanism and the project under the same title supported by the organization CRTA through the initiative #GrađaniImajuMoć.at the Faculty of Architecture and Faculty of Geography, University of Belgrade,