(KZN.RU,
July 4). The panel discussion of the Moscow Urban Forum 2019 today was attended
by Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of the RT. The forum is taking place at
the site of the Zaryadie concert hall (Moscow). Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of
Kazan, also takes part in the forum.
Moscow
Urban Forum 2019 “Life quality. Projects that change cities” is dedicated to
discussing issues and presentations of initiatives of city administrations,
businesses, citizens. It is aimed at ensuring balanced and sustainable
development of cities, improving the life quality through the implementation of
large-scale projects.
The panel
discussion “Environment for Development. Comfortable city as a driver of the
economy” was devoted to the debate on such issues as the possibilities of new
projects and initiatives for Russian cities, the general tasks of improving the
life quality and development of the urban economy, the unused resources of
cities and how to help them realize these resources.
The
speakers of the discussion were Maksim Oreshkin, the minister of Economic
Development of the RF, Vladimir Yakushev, the minister of Construction and
Housing and Communal Services of the RF, Rustam Minnikhanov, the President of
the RT, Marat Khusnullin, the deputy mayor of Moscow in the Moscow Government on
urban planning policy and construction, and foreign experts.
During the
speech, Rustam Minnikhanov, answering the moderator's questions, said that for
successful development of cities it is necessary to be able to respond to
modern challenges, reports the press service of the President of the RT. “The
biggest and most serious challenge for us was in 2005 when we celebrated the
1000th anniversary of Kazan. It all started with our capital. It was the first
step when the city began to form differently. It is a program for the
elimination of dilapidated housing, the creation of transport infrastructure.
The next step is when we got the right to host the World Summer Universiade in
Kazan in 2013. All this gave a serious start to the change of the capital of Tatarstan;
there were sports and transport facilities, hospitality objects”.
After the
Universiade 2013, the region leadership wondered what would happen next.
“We began
to study the experience of other cities, how their appearance changes, and
first of all, how Moscow is changing”, said Rustam Minnikhanov. “This way, the
program on creation of public spaces appeared, on system solutions for our
cities and regional centers. Today we must ensure that citizens do not leave
small towns. We must understand that Kazan should be comfortable and
hospitable”.
Rustam
Minnikhanov reminded that within the framework of the program for the
development of public spaces, 328 objects were created in the republic in five
years, and now this work is going systematically.
“But the
first steps were difficult, because there were no specialists. Now we are
holding different forums; we invite many foreign partners and advise. It
involves many young people in the process who think in new ways. Today we have
a series of small enterprises that make infrastructure for public spaces; new
competencies are emerging”, said Rustam Minnikhanov.
He marked
that it is essential not only to build parks, public spaces. They must be
maintained; there should be exciting events that will attract citizens. “The
whole process is fascinating”, said Rustam Minnikhanov. “Life quality is
assessed in public spaces. Creating living conditions on the site means keeping
the young people there. We need comfortable living conditions, the availability
of educational institutions, and high-paying work for this”.
As an
example, the President of the RT cited the new city of Innopolis, where all the
conditions for life, work and rest are created. “We are forming an IT center
for our country in Innopolis”, he said. “But we have many other plans. Wherever
we go, everywhere we learn something new”.