The International Summer School of Urban Studies is working in Kryvyi Rih

Benjamin Bobby, director of the Hanns-Seidel Foundation, said, “I am grateful to Kryvyi Rih for the warm welcome. Our foundation operates in Germany and 65 countries around the world. We work closely with the German parliament, which funds our projects. We believe that such projects are important to support change because they start at the local level. People need to see how their problems are solved. These issues need to be considered together with the residents. The projects implemented in Kryvyi Rih are the most successful in Ukraine, and they are an example for other cities. It is an example of the way to work for sustainable development and provide quality services to residents, create conditions for dialogue with active citizens and form cooperation at the inter-municipal level.”

Speaking at the opening of the School, Deputy Mayor of Kryvyi Rih, Serhiy Miliutin, said, “Our common goal is to increase the comfort of life in Kryvyi Rih and other cities. To do this, we bring together European and Ukrainian experts, scientists, local government officials, residents. At the same time, we solve not only current problems but also look to the future. Therefore, we involve students of profile specialities in work. I am grateful to our German colleagues for the high appreciation of our activities, so Kryvyi Rih is ready to share its experience with other municipalities.”

Milutin noted that the School of Urban Studies is part of a project to transform Kryvyi Rih as a mono-profile industrial city. "The gained experience of interaction between authorities and society is already widely used. For example, the first project for Ukraine was launched in Kryvyi Rih, in which the process of planning a comprehensive improvement of the 4th Zarichny microdistrict takes place based on the wishes of the residents themselves and under the guidance of the best experts,” the Deputy Mayor said.

He noted that this approach changes the attitude of people to their neighbourhood: residents are actively involved in the process of improvement.

Alirza Mamedov, a representative of the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture, said, “Ukraine has declared its accession to European structures, and we are taking small steps in this direction. We believe that this idea of the School will give impetus to the integration of education into the European experience. I want to thank the city authorities of Kryvyi Rih for the high level of the organization of the School of Urban Studies."

Toralf Weise, Vice President of SFB Stiftung zur Förderung des Bauwesens (Construction Industry Support Fund), shared his impressions of the classes during the autumn school and the future plans. “I am grateful to the city authorities of Kryvyi Rih and the Seidel Foundation. This workshop is one of the best I have ever held. In our team, we will continue the work done by the previous School. After conducting the analysis, together with representatives of the city and fellow urban planners in synergy, we will develop proposals about the discussions where we are moving, not only on individual streets or districts. With the right plans and development concepts, we will create solutions that will lead to the right result, " he said.

Yaroslav Shramko, the rector of Kryvyi Rih State University, said, “Such Schools of Urban Studies are very important for the development of Ukrainian cities and our city. Our university has art and graphic department. We educate purposeful students who can join in the design and improvement of the urban environment. Our mission is to work in partnership with city structures to increase the comfort of our city. "

We will remind, within the limits of the programme of Mayor Kostiantyn Pavlov, experts from Europe created the complex plan of improvement of the residential district together with inhabitants of the 4th Zarichnyi and experts of the city government.