Network Conference of Spa-ce.net “Territorial Development in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe – ‘Places that do not matter’ and inner peripheries” POLIS University 26 - 27 September 2019, Tirana, Albania 1 Table of Contents 1. Program Overview & Detailed Programme ................................................................................... 3 1.1 Detailed Agenda ........................................................................................................................... 4 1. About Tirana, Albania ............................................................................................................ 8 3. Albania`s Planning and Development Background: An Exciting Context to Explore ................. 11 3.1 A brief outline on the state of planning in Albania .......................................................................... 12 4. About Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development and POLIS University .................................... 13 4.1 Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development ..................................................................................... 13 4.2 POLIS University, The International School of Architecture and Urban Development Policies ....................... 14 5. Arriving in Tirana and moving to the City Centre ................................................................... 16 5.2 To and from U_Polis ................................................................................................................ 17 6. What we suggest ..................................................................................................................... 18 6.1 Accommodation ......................................................................................................................... 18 6.2 Restaurants ............................................................................................................................... 20 7. Sightseeing in Tirana .......................................................................................................... 22 8. Weather Forecast for Tirana. ............................................................................................... 24 2 1. Program Overview & Detailed Programme Societal actors strive to achieve sustainable territorial development by reducing territorial disparities and fragmentation, promoting growth and competitiveness, and building socio-ecological resilience. In so doing, these actors take advantage of interdependencies between institutions and people in a network society, and promoting more social collaboration. In this process, power dynamics, social heritage and unequal knowledge contribute to the creation of various territorial constructs, where some places are more advantageous than others, and some remain peripheral or lose importance. This inequality has given rise to scientific and policy discourses on ‘places that do not matter’ and inner peripheries. Inner peripheries, a seemingly confusing term, has gained attention due to increased awareness on the multitude of features (in addition to the territorial dimension) that less advantageous and less developed places have, together with the diversity of factors that contribute to creation of peripherality. In this framework, the definition of peripherality varies between socio-economic marginalization, low access to markets and services, and weak human resources, to locational features and geographical and/or socio-economic remoteness and/performance. This broad definition may lead inner peripheries to become indistinguishable from lagging areas. However, accessibility to economic potential and especially to services of general interest, associated with well-being of residents, is key to classifying areas as inner peripheries. “Places that do not matter”, is a rising metaphor to characterise territorial constructs and urban areas, where human and economic capital have for some time been on a declining path, through depopulation and emigration, brain drain, diminishing and/or low/negative growth of industries and agricultural activities. Places may ‘lose importance’ because of internal socio-economic processes, but also because government’s policies may result, deliberately or not, into the establishment of inequalities on the territory, and formation of inner peripheries, and lagging areas. Understanding dynamics and interlinks between these internal and external factors, and the features of the resulting inner peripheries and ‘places that do not matter’ is of importance to institutions (formal and informal) and policy- makers for drawing and implementing efficient policies and targeted instruments for territorial development. 3 1.1 Detailed Agenda Day 1: Thursday, 26 September 2019 09.00 – 09.30 Arrival at POLIS and Registration 09.30 Opening and Key Notes Prof. Dr. Besnik Aliaj, POLIS University, Tirana, Albania Prof. Dr. Maros Finka, Slovak University of Technology, Institute of Management, Department of Spatial Planning, Bratislava, Slovakia 10.00 – 11.30 Session 1: Development strategies and actions in inner peripheries Moderation: Prof. Dr. Šećerov Velimir, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning o Regional Inner Periphery and Energy Efficiency Prof. Dr. Stojkov Borislav, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning Prof. Dr. Šećerov Velimir, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning Dr. Pucar Mila, Institute of Architecture and Urban and Spatial Planning of Serbia Prof. Dr. Filipović Dejan, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning o Innovation in Inner Peripheries, the Case of Albania Dr. Elona Karafili, POLIS University, Albania o Lusatia – a Place that Does not Matter? Rethinking Development Strategies in Eastern Germany Dr. Peter Wirth, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development 11.30 – 12.00 Coffee Break 12.00 – 13.30 Session 2: Social and Spatial Dimensions in Inner Peripheries Moderation: Dr. Rudina Toto, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, POLIS University, Albania o Perceived Peripherality in Szczecin, Poland Dr. Peter Nientied, IHS-Erasmus, Rotterdam, Netherlands and POLIS University, Albania Katarzyna Stachowiak-Bongwa, Netherlands 4 o Challenges of Spatial Typologies in the Centre-periphery Setting of Albanian Municipalities MSc. Kejt Dhrami (PhD Candidate), Co-PLAN, POLIS University, University of Ferrara o Teenagers in Urban Space and Urban Life: Policy Gaps and Planning Chances in Sofia Peripheries Urb. Mila Yolova (PhD candidate), University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria Prof. Dr. Arch. Elena Dimitrova, University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria 13.30 – 14.30 Lunch 14.30 – 16.00 Session 3: Socio-economic Inequalities and Spatial Planning Moderation: Dr. Dritan Shutina, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, POLIS University, Albania o Addressing Peripherality through Spatial Planning – the Case of 36 Albanian Municipalities MSc. Fiona Imami (PhD Candidate), Co-PLAN, POLIS University, University of Ferrara and Esmerina Hidri, Researcher, Co-PLAN. o Disparities – We need them Dr. Ing. Christian Walloth, Walloth Urban Advisors Sprl, Brussels, Belgium o Territorial Disparities and Polycentricity in Albania Dr. Rudina Toto, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, POLIS University, Albania 16.00 – 18.30 Study Tour A multifaceted Tirana: Periphery – Centre – Periphery Day 2: Friday, 27 September 2019 09.00 – 11.30 Session 1: Governance and Politics of Peripheriality Moderation: Prof. Dr. Šećerov Velimir, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning o Tourism Governance and Peripherality MSc. Aida Ciro (PhD Candidate), Co-PLAN, POLIS University, University of Ferrara o Regional Agencies’ Approach to Spatial Planning, Development and Protection of Urban and Rural Peripheries 5 Assist. Prof. Dr. Angel Burov, University of Architecture Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria Assist. Prof. Dr. Irina Mutafchiyska, University of Architecture Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria Urb. Mila Yolova (Phd Candidate) Urban planning department, Faculty of Architecture, Sofia, Bulgaria o Linkages Between Decentralization and Local Economic Development in Albania, After the Implementation of the Territorial Reform Dr. Merita Toska, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, POLIS University MBA Anila Gjika, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, POLIS University o Addressing Peripheriality Through Regional Development – Policy Challenges in Albania MBA Anila Gjika, Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development 11.30 – 12.00 Coffee Break 12.00 – 13.00 Session 2: Concluding remarks and future perspectives Moderation: Prof. Dr. Šećerov Velimir, University of Belgrade Faculty of Geography, Department of Spatial Planning Prof. Dr. Maroš Finka, Slovak University of Technology, Institute of Management, Department of Spatial Planning, Bratislava, Slovakia Prof. Dr. Borislav Stojkov, University of Belgrade, Faculty of Geography – Department for Spatial Planning, Serbia Organised by: Spa-ce.net – Network of Spatial Planning and Research Institutes in Central and Eastern Europe Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development, Dresden, Germany SPECTRA CE EU at the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava POLIS University, Tirana, Albania Co-PLAN, Institute for Habitat Development, Tirana, Albania For more information feel