Urban Symposium "City Perspectives – Contemporary Approaches to Urbanism: International Experiences and Local Opportunities" Held

On Saturday, 10 October 2026, the urban symposium "City Perspectives – Contemporary Approaches to Urbanism: International Experiences and Local Opportunities" was held in the amphitheater of the UNITIC business center in Sarajevo. Organized by the Diaspora Architectural Foundation in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Sarajevo, the symposium was part of the international architectural exhibition "Diaspora – The Sarajevo School of Architecture in the World." It brought together architects and urban planners with international professional experience, members of the academic community, and domestic experts.

The symposium's goal was to create an environment for dialogue between exhibitors and participants regarding their experiences working in various socio-spatial contexts, alongside the experiences of domestic experts in the context of contemporary Sarajevo. Lectures and panel discussions examined different perspectives on regulating, planning, and managing cities, covering all levels and participants involved in these processes.

The program was organized into two panels, offering perspectives that challenge established assumptions about how cities should be planned. It analyzed the role of regulatory bodies, legal frameworks, academic institutions, and professional practice. Additionally, it reviewed various instruments for establishing connections between public interests and the actors responsible for protecting and realizing them, analyzing climate and environmental impacts, the role and obligations of investors, and the issue of social housing.

In the first panel, Biljana Savić from London spoke on spatial planning regulation and construction quality in the function of collective welfare. Vladimir Krstić from Kansas City presented American experiences in participatory urbanism, emphasizing the importance of collective consciousness and citizen involvement in shaping urban spaces. Duško Bogunović from Auckland outlined an approach to urban development based on the natural characteristics of space, using the example of the linear city-region of Auckland. Following the first block of presentations, a discussion took place involving the speakers, Professor Nihad Čengić, and urban planner Lejla Hajro, Director of the Campus Construction Directorate at the University of Sarajevo. The session was moderated by Ibrica Jašarević and Katarina Bošnjak Karadža from the Department of Urbanism and Spatial Planning at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Sarajevo, who also served as organizers.

In the second panel, Brankica Pećanac from Pescara presented Italian experiences in planning under conditions of climate and energy challenges. Rada Marković from Stockholm discussed the responsibilities and obligations of investors in planning and construction processes. Semir Zubčević from Vienna examined urban policy experiences, comparing Vienna and Sarajevo. The accompanying discussion included Professor Jasenka Čakarić from the UNSA Faculty of Architecture, Nataša Pelja Tabori from International Burch University, Barbara-Aneta Čičković, a representative of the Municipality of Novi Grad Sarajevo, and the aforementioned moderators.

The international experiences presented highlighted a common component of successful planning models: a firm stance and intention by cities and states to establish means of protecting their citizens through the spaces we all share. Space as a resource must be protected primarily through professional cohesion and laws that prioritize human welfare.

The symposium organizers were Senior Assistant Ibrica Jašarević and Assistant Professor Katarina Bošnjak Karadža from the Department of Urbanism and Spatial Planning at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Sarajevo, in collaboration with architect Hasan Ćemalović, founder of the Diaspora Architectural Foundation.

The program was moderated by Irfan Salihagić. The symposium was supported by students of the Faculty of Architecture: Elda Bratanović, Belma Maglić, Šaira Delić, Dženeta Dejkić, Adem Musić, Ernad Dindić, Zejnil Mehić, Armina Hasić, and Amra Halilović.

Below, you can view photos capturing the event's atmosphere, taken by photographers Zejneb Musić, Šaira Delić, and Dženeta Dejkić.