SRL, 28.02.2022
Berlin: The German Association of Town, Regional and State Planning (SRL) condemns deeply the Russian attack against Ukraine and calls upon Russia to stop hostilities promptly and to withdraw its troops immediately from Ukraine. As an association of all professionals working in the field of spatial planning SRL declares its solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian planners, many of whom currently have to fear for their lives.
Russia has conducted a military attack against Ukraine and is waging war against innocent people. Not only are human lives being lost, but civil infrastructure – streets, railways, bridges, public transport, and public social services – are being affected heavily, too. Numerous residential buildings are being destroyed. Under such conditions it is impossible to perform a peaceful development of town and country for the benefit of society.
During the last ten years, especially within the framework of the project “Integrated Urban Development in Ukraine” of the German International Co-operation (GIZ), Germany has made substantial contributions to cohesion and a peaceful urban development. Those efforts, which have had enjoyable results and condensed especially in integrated development concepts of numerous cities and in the reform of planning legislation, are now in acute danger, even if not already destroyed.
As an association of professionals working in the field of planning, we deeply condemn the Russian attack against Ukraine and call upon Russia to stop hostilities promptly and to withdraw its troops from Ukraine. We declare our solidarity with the Ukrainian people and the Ukrainian planners, many of whom currently have to fear for their lives.