Mayor Erion Veliaj has spent his terms as mayor thinking about the next generation, instead of the next election. This has resulted in Tirana, Albania, a city of one million people, undergoing a transformation from car-centric planning and increasing air pollution to a city of open public spaces, greenways, and quality cycling infrastructure. Mayor Veliaj won his second term in June 2019 based in part on understanding children’s needs, including child-friendly policies and designs, such as a playground development plan, planting birthday trees, and monthly car-free days that include areas for children to cycle. As part of his vision, Veliaj’s administration completely renovated the city’s central square, Skanderbeg Square, which was awarded the 2018 European Prize for Urban Public Space. His administration is continuing work on a major climate-change initiative, The Orbital Forest, a two-million tree belt that will serve as a pivotal element in addressing the environmental concerns of the city by 2030. Mayor Veliaj will speak to MOBILIZE on the bold steps his administration is taking to make Tirana a better, greener, and more humane city.