Question: What makes a city a nice place to live? Answer: Parks and green spaces, cleanliness, good public safety, and lots of civic activism. You’ll find all of those features in Fushë Kosovë/Kosovo Polje, thanks to strong municipal leadership and support from USAID. Local officials have made the creation of a clean, safe, and pleasant environment for their Kosovo Albanian, Kosovo Serb, and Roma citizens a top priority. With the assistance of the USAID Democratic Effective Municipalities Initiative http://www.demi-ks.org/?cid=2,1, the municipality developed a strategic plan for creating parks and green spaces. Officials then worked with citizens and other stakeholders to develop a budget and plans for implementation.
On December 3, 2012, the community celebrated its latest success – a new public square in the city center. USAID supported the municipality in creating the foundation, layout and drainage system, gutters and pavers, landscaping, and in the construction of bleachers for public performances. Local youth volunteered to paint a mural on one of the walls. The square is close to the municipal administration building, as well as several schools and health centers, so the project will benefit the entire community of 33,682 residents. USAID Democracy and Governance Office Director Tanya Urqieta joined Mayor Burim Berisha for the inauguration of the square, which will serves as a place for community gatherings.
The USAID Democratic Effective Municipalities Initiative has worked with the municipality on a variety of other initiatives, including planting trees, renovating school grounds and playgrounds and developing a new women’s caucus in the municipal assembly.
Last updated: December 20, 2012
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