“Our architecture and spaces tell a lot about our lifestyle and how we engage with our community. In Lahore, we see different types of front porches and thus different ways of connection and interaction within community. These modes of interaction together form the street life.” Peacemakers Pakistani examine a crucial element in the placemaking of Lahore and beyond.

In order to comprehend the events of recent days, PEN Ukraine has launched a series of conversations entitled #DialoguesOnWar. On September 6th, Oleksandr Zinchenko, a Ukrainian journalist, held a conversation with the German journalist Katrin Eigendorf. This is a transcription of key moments from their conversation.

In order to comprehend the events of recent days, PEN Ukraine has launched a series of conversations entitled #DialoguesOnWar. On August 30, Kostiantyn Sigov, a Ukrainian philosopher, held a conversation with the French philosopher Philippe de Lara. This is a transcription of key moments from their conversation. This conversation is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.

In order to comprehend the events of recent days, PEN Ukraine has launched a series of conversations entitled #DialoguesOnWar. On July 8, Sophia Andrukhovych, Ukrainian author and translator, held a conversation with Orhan Pamuk, author and Nobel Prize winner in Literature.
This conversation is supported by the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine.

“Despite setbacks, working in Caracas was a useful wake-up call. It raised the fundamental questions that we believe planners and architects must respond to in the 21st century: How does one deal with chaos and with the sudden and unforeseen shifts in the political climate? How do we respond productively to the particulars of time and place and to the problems of population growth and migration? If disorder and antagonism are the status quo, how do we exercise a discipline that imposes order and requires consensus?” Alfredo Brillembourg, architect and founder of Urban-Think Tank, explores the dense urbanism of Caracas in the light of some of the Western world’s most urgent challenges.

“Roadblock! Roadblock! Roadblock! The students shouted and rushed to the Square West Road and Chang'an Avenue, chasing the tank – actually a light armored vehicle – and throwing soda-water bottles, bricks, and even the pens and books. The vehicle seemed confused for a moment, and then made a sudden U-turn, running away along its previous route towards West Qianmen Street.” Environmentalist, writer, and editor, Tan Zuoren, reimagines a turning point in the life of a Chinese square.

“Office districts are a monoculture, and just like nature abhors monocultures, people hate office districts. People want to be in environments that are true to our human nature – interesting and comfortable environments that reflect the complexity and diversity of our world. Yes, humans crave complexity – we evolved to use all our senses to explore our environment, and we come alive when we enter places that offer that rich experience.” Phil Myrick, global placemaking leader, calls for a rethinking of the places where we work.

Mohamed Magani, author and president of Algerian PEN, wrote a novel and suddenly found himself the center of a tightly knit community of butchers. Magani explores the power of stories and finds a world of wonder and surprises.

“Scotland is a nation of towns. Decades ago, Scotland’s town centres were bustling and vibrant, and the reason was we lived in them. Now we live a couple of miles out of town in car dependent housing schemes where many don’t even know their own neighbours as commuting leaves less time for communities.” Phil Prentice, CEO of Scotland’s Towns Partnership, writes on the key to a better urban future

On Tuesday 23 November PEN Perth held a reading to protest the military coup which took place on 25 October in Sudan. Afeif Ismail spoke about the coup and about the severe limitations involved in the deal between the military and the civilian Prime Minister, Abdalla Hamdok reached the day before the reading. The deal saw the release of some political prisoners, but far from all, and far from all writers.

“Young people go to school to prepare themselves for the future. We teach them about the past and the present but nothing about the future. Why is this?” International NGO, Teach The Future, invites young people to shape a vision and a manifesto for their community. In some Dutch towns and cities, this manifesto becomes an official document being implemented in actual development plans. Erica Bol tells a story of inter-generational planning.

“At the end of 2020, the "Cultural Streets" project was created. The main objective was to contribute to the urban recovery of the city and the gradual reactivation of public life in the historic center of Juarez, using open space, urban art and tactical urbanism as allies.” Miguel Mendoza tells the story of how Mexican Juarez is finding its way to a more rooted way of living.

“Questions and curiosities keep people alive. When curiosities tickle us and loom in front of us as a question, an individual becomes obliged to seek for an answer. He starts wandering, be it by will or by obligation. He starts moving about and looking at nature or the material world from newer perspectives. Wandering like that is a task undertaken by an incomplete being that pines for completeness. For such reasons, questions have a direct correlation with the incompleteness and vacantness that characterize an individual.” Bhisma Upreti, author and secretary of PEN Nepal, dives into the crowds of the world and finds himself alone.

A new guide has been launched to empower and inspire all those determined to make Scotland’s towns stronger and more attractive. Scotland’s Towns Partnership presents a tool designed to nurture community building.

What defines a home? What is a neighborhood without loving, caring neighbours? And what is a city that doesn’t remember the most vulnerable among us?

Meet Eric Thirion who runs a Belgian delicatessen in Copenhagen. Like so many local shops all over the world, it fills out an essential role as a community anchor.

Does your city encourage independent retailers and shop owners with a community spirit?

Almost instantly, Anton’s became a new destination. It changed the character of the neighborhood and made all of us a little more proud of the place we live.

A strong community is characterized by its intact resonance. Disputes and conflicts still exist, of course, but they occur within a common frame of understanding; not in separate, parallel spaces.

Absalon can be seen as an antithesis to the general individualization and as a cure for the rising loneliness, isolation, and experience of powerlessness. Here, at this local level, you can make a difference and find your place in a wider whole.

Millions of cities are facing the same challenge: How can we make this place more attractive? In the Scottish town of Dunfermline, we met a Community Planning Partnership, that caught our attention. To our surprise, the leader of it told us that “the more invisible, the partnership and I can be, the better.”

If you arrive to Marrakesh with the night train from Tangier you’ll be able to experience Djemaa el’Fna, the huge, central square, in the morning while it is still empty and silent.

Russ & Daughters is a Jewish Delikatessen that opened in NYC in 1914. It’s still there, selling bagels with fish and cream cheese, still owned and managed by the same family. It’s been part of peoples’ life and the city’s history for so long that it has become a geographical and emotional point of reference.

It’s not geography. It’s not history. It’s neither great leadership nor economic advantage. Though it is all connected, the single most important thing is social capital: The quality of the relations and the cohesion that exists among citizens.

Why are some shops and streets more alive than others? Can a book shop be about love and community? What role can a school play in a shopping street? How can imagination play a bigger role?

If we were aware of the true cost, value, and (possible) beauty of the stuff we buy, would our towns, cities, and world look any different?