Kosovo is a state with ancient history and wealthy cultural heritage, created since the prehistoric times up to today. Cultural heritage assets are important from the historical, aesthetic, architectural and social point of view.  The unstable political situation of the end of the last century, the war of 1998/99 and political and social post war transition, have made the focus of protection of cultural heritage to be within margins. The current state fund, dedicated for cultural heritage is insufficient to change the plight of these localities.

Cultural Heritage without Borders (CHwB) promoted the idea of preventive interventions in buildings in need as a rapid measure to protect the cultural assets from various threats. This approach ensures that more buildings are funded.  Rapid intervention is also an action of raising awareness of owners and community to know the values of their buildings.

Such an approach is endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, which supported the program of rescue interventions – emergency interventions, in 50 assets of cultural heritage in the Republic of Kosovo, during 2013-2014. The application of consolidating emergency interventions, for the rescue and rehabilitation is a necessary action and a legal obligation.

Through measures of emergency prevention, cultural heritage localities endangered by various natural or human factors are consolidated, stabilized or rescued rapidly. The documentation of current state of the buildings and the proposals for intervention are done by the staff of CHwB and students of the Faculty of Architecture from the University of Prishtina and UBT.

The emergency interventions project will be implemented during 2013 – 2014. The buildings were selected by the list offered from the Regional Centres for Cultural Heritage, through set criteria by the common commission of CHwB and MCYS. Selected buildings represent different typology of popular architecture spread in the entire territory of Kosovo.

Emergency interventions in these buildings are focused in reparation of roofs, consolidation of walls, stabilization of construction, drainage and cleaning of the buildings and their setting.

Building of former National Technique, Gjilan/Gjilane

House of Zekirja Abdullahu, Gjilan/Gjilane

House of Rashit Rashiti, Prishtinë/Priština