Challenges of the Urban Revitalization Program and the Project Ideas to be Implemented Within It, Topics of a Workshop

A workshop on urban revitalization took place in Costesti, Ialoveni. The workshop was carried out within the "Support to the Government of the Republic of Moldova in implementing the National Strategy for Regional Development of Moldova in the field of Urban Policy and Urban Development" project, financed by the Ministry of Investments and Economic Development of Poland.

The representatives of ten cities - beneficiaries from the project, together with local facilitators, representatives of the Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment, Regional Development Agencies, as well as experts from Poland, officials from the Ministry of Investments and Economic Development of Poland, representatives of Solidarity Fund PL - actively discussed the ideas of revitalization projects. These were developed as social measures and infrastructure interventions aimed to improve living conditions and social interaction in revitalization areas.

Representatives of six cities shared the experience they had during a study visit in Poland (17- 27 October 2018), coming with good practice examples from Leszno, Starachowice and Walbrzych - ideas for revitalization involving the cities and community mobilization.

Each city representative presented the process of developing the urban revitalization programs, highlighting interesting local specificities. The revitalization area of each city is an attractive symbol and history - for example, the "Old Center" in Ocnita; the specificity of the inclusion of ethnic minorities in Soroca, the revitalization of the vocational school area in Cimislia; the involvement of students and children from kindergarten, from the Mendeleev area in Edinet to identify project ideas, etc.

Present at the workshop were the guests - His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in the Republic of Moldova, Mr Bartłomiej Zdaniuk; Mr Grzegorz Pragert and Mr Lukasz Wilkowsky, Ministerstwo Inwestycji i Rozwoju Poland; experts Mr Andrzej Brzozowy and Mr Rajmund Ryś - Projekty Miejskie; Mrs Aneta Nasternak-Kmieć, Starohowice City Hall, Poland; Mr Igor Malai and Mrs Silvia Dragomir - Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Development and Environment.

By doing group activities, analysing case study and active dialogue, the participants have been able to exchange ideas and experiences on elaborated project ideas, inspiring each other.

This activity is implemented in the context of promoting the Urban Revitalization Approach in the Republic of Moldova with the support of the Polish Development Cooperation Program of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Poland. A workshop on the stages of developing the Urban Revitalization Programs recently took place in Costesti, Ialoveni. The workshop was carried out within the "Support to the Government of the Republic of Moldova in implementing the National Strategy for Regional Development of Moldova in the field of Urban Policy and Urban Development" project, financed by the Ministry of Investments and Economic Development of Poland.