From April 23rd to 26th 2012, Cultural Heritage without Borders organized a study visit to Albania, having as a spotlight the entwist of the knowledge and experiences in the field of cultural and natural heritage of Dukagjini Plain; combined with various examples of management of cultural assets, creation of tourism offer and its delivery to the public. Participants of this study visit consisted of municipal, professional and local NGO representatives from Junik, Pejë/Pec and Deçan/Decane municipalities.

The first visit was of a special significance since the participants were the invitees of Polis University for an open meeting (Open Forum), during which was presented the experimental approach of Junik was introduced in the field of spatial planning and cultural heritage. Moreover, this presentation concurred with the completion of the Municipal Development Plan of Junik, subsequent to a number of plans developed and passed by this municipality. In front of an attentive audience, composed of students and professionals, the bearers of the different projects over the years, presented Junik’s achievements, starting with the representatives of the Municipality of Junik, Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning/Institute of Spatial Planning, UN-HABITAT, Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB, Kosovo Office) and Polis University. The presentations triggered the attention, given that they were designed to address various aspects of spatial planning, such as the drafting of municipal, urban and regulatory development plans, restoration projects, visioning workshops, “in-house” planning methodology and implementation of such plans through capital projects and different initiatives.

In the days following, the participants were accommodated in the region of Malësia e Shkodrës (Shkodra Highlands), in a natural resort in the tourism site of Razëm. Alongside natural and recreation activities, participants had the opportunity to extensively disscuss with representatives of this resort on the coining of hotel and tourism offer for a mountain environment. This viewpoint was of great importance for the representatives of Deçan/Decane, Junik and Pejë/Pec municipalities, which are part of “See you in Dukagjin” Tourism Development Project that is currently being implemented by CHwB.

Part of the schedule was a visit to Shkodra city and its surrounding, such as the visit to Rozafa Castle or the one at Mesi Bridge (Ura e Mesit).

Other sites of the itinerary were two other traditional houses of Shkodra, adapted and redesigned for public purposes. The first one nowadays shelters the Museum of the City of Shkodra, while the second had been turned into a compound, “Tradita”, which includes a restaurant, a hotel and a small ethnographic museum, managed by a private person fond of cultural heritage.