RAVE Space Project closing: a starting point for further actions

Ljubljana, December 2007

The R.A.V.E. Space Project Final Conference, held in Ljubljana (Slovenia) on 3-4 December 2007 under the title “Values of Space and Sustainable Spatial Development: the Role of Education” provided the occasion to largely debate the relevance of educational processes in the enhancement of common knowledge on spatial planning and values of space as a basis for developing skills for an active and responsible citizenship.

During plenary sessions and focused workshops, the relevant stakeholders (spatial planners, architects, teachers as well as representatives of central and local authorities, international organisations, NGOs and media) exchanged views and good/bad practices in relation to the subjects developed in the framework of the INTERREG III B CADSES Project R.A.V.E. Space (Raising Awareness about Values of Space through the process of Education). Some questions and proposals for further action and cooperation were raised, with special attention to the need to further promote activities/projects in the field, giving priority to cross-sector cooperation (e.g. education/environment); the importance to develop projects covering different programme areas and assure connection/synergies between them; the relevance to involve NGOs, the public opinion and social care centres/associations; the role of international and regional organizations, such as the UNECE, the Council of Europe and the CEI, in project activities dissemination and implementation; the need for cooperation between spatial planning professionals and media (e.g. to train journalists on spatial development issues).

With particular regard to the implementation of the R.A.V.E. Space Project Educational Strategy, it was pointed out that the political commitment for the incorporation of the educational strategy issues in national plans of action is of utmost need at this stage. Teachers should be further trained, ECO schools promoted, horizontal decision-making strengthened, curricula streamlined in favour of spatial planning issues, new learning methods introduced (playing, experimenting, having fun), schools treated as learning tools (learning by doing), architectural education for children promoted, pupils and teachers jointed with special trained experts (e.g. architectural pedagogues). In this respect, the best practices introduced by the experts from Sweden and Finland were particularly relevant.

Thanks to the CEI, representatives from competent ministries and educational boards from countries not involved in the R.A.V.E. Space project implementation, such as Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Macedonia and Serbia, were invited to attend the Conference and get acquainted with the project outcomes and possible follow-up.