WUF11 NETWORKING EVENT BY EMU URDC: POWER OF PUBLIC SPACE FOR POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION IN CONTESTED CITIES

Eastern Mediterranean University is co-hosting a networking event at #WUF11 with #City Space Architecture on the “Power of Public Space for Post-conflict Reconstruction in Contested Cities" and supported by #ISOCARP.

This networking event focuses on knowledge sharing on public space and its meaning in conflict cities for shaping resilient communities. In conflict cities, for example, in divided cities like Nicosia, in the course of daily life, urban public space is often shared more than residents realize. Thus, urban public spaces create room for unexpected or surprising encounters and illustrate both the potential and challenges of having a less segregated city. The event intends to bring together public space experts, scholars, designers, professionals, planners, etc. to share experiences and knowledge that they have gained in conflict cities of Nicosia, Famagusta, East Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Beirut, Sarajevo-Bosnia, Berlin, and Prishtina. As has been indicated in a Briefing Paper (4) prepared by the Center for Urban Conflict Research at the University of Cambridge, "in divided / conflicting cities, urban planners and relevant organizations must ensure that fragile social arrangements that encourage mixing of residents are not disrupted by the imposition of barriers and basic sharing of space may depend on people having mundane reasons to be together, such as shopping, work and the use of health care facilities." 

The event aims to help participants understand how in conflicting cities, people from different communities have motivations for sharing urban public spaces. Second, the participants will be networking on the value and power of public space and try to answer the following questions: i) How can public spaces be used to sustainably reconstruct conflict cities? and ii) How to re-shape public space in conflict cities to reach urban resiliency?

The program and speakers of the event are already announced. Accordingly, following two keynote presentations on the topic, representatives of Research Institutes / Centers about Conflict and Planning will contribute to the event through the "PechaKucha" type of presentations to express their views on the power of the public space in conflict cities based on their experience. 

See you at the event on 29 June in Katowice, Poland, or virtually.  Please do not forget to register to attend!