The Concept of Participatory Citizenship in the Context of Utilizing the Potential of a Protected Built Environment for Sustainable Urban Development-A Case in Republic of North Macedonia, Bitola

Abstract

The increasingly clear recognition and confirmation of the inclusive nature of the protected built environment with the socio-economic and cultural development of society, confirmed by scientific research, internationally accepted documents, and real action in many countries at the national and local level, has full implications for the approach to perceptions to all stakeholders on the importance of its potential in the context of achieving the globally accepted goals of the current 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Perceiving the values of cultural heritage as a shared good of all citizens, which has the opportunity to enable sustainable urban development of the community to which they belong, requires a participatory approach to planning and utilizing the potential of a protected built environment in urban development processes. The promotion of participatory processes, ie the cooperation between the government, the civil sector, the business entities, and the local population is the basis for the planning and implementation of the activities related to the integration of the protected built environment in achieving the goals of sustainable urban development of the community. In this text, an attempt is made to perceive and assess civic participation as an indicator for confirming the role of cultural heritage in sustainable urban development through the open opportunities and vitality of civil society in the Republic of North Macedonia, through the case in Bitola.