This spring, together with the Bucharest Community Foundation, we launched the Inclusiv in cartier program. What did we set out to do? To do #morethanbanking for Bucharest residents: to lend a hand to developing neighborhood communities and to strengthen the sense of belonging by supporting the best ideas in education, the environment and social initiatives. To make it so that people... find their place and feel they belong in the neighborhood where they live.

There were almost 20 applications, 5 of which stood out in particular, and these will receive 50,000 euros.

More green in Bucharest

We’re glad that most of the winning ideas focus on the environment and on a desire to live healthier, better lives at home, in the neighborhood. In practice, how a neighborhood works is one cog in the mechanism of a city, with a direct impact on its residents’ quality of life and well-being. And that’s how things start to move, to advance, bringing people and ideas together.

The winning projects put forward ideas on urban ecology, creating a social space, reducing waste, an urban garden and exploring areas to learn about biodiversity. Ideas for today and for tomorrow. They bring a distinctive touch.

• Cartier circular | Cotroceni, a project by the Incotroverzi civic initiative group

It aims for a cleaner, more hygienic neighborhood by reducing waste and moving towards a collaborative circular economy. Neighborhood residents and local businesses will learn how to make this happen.

• Gradina cu oameni | Cismigiu, a project by the Cismigiu civic initiative group

This urban ecology initiative covers several aspects: landscaping and urban gardening, sound ecology, urban beekeeping, ornithology and urban fauna. Workshops and activities will take place in the Cismigiu Garden or nearby, with the main goal of mobilizing neighborhood residents in this effort and improving the community’s quality of life.

• BalCCOn Deschis | Obor neighborhood, a project by the Carusel Association

The project aims to bring together children from the Obor Community Center and residents of the Obor neighborhood by creating a green space right next to the community center. It can become a bridge between neighbors and children, a chance for people from different social groups to meet and connect.

• Livada comunitara urbana | Tineretului and Vacaresti neighborhoods, a project by Tineretului Community Action

The community initiative plans to set up an urban garden in partnership with the National Museum of Romanian Literature, which will make available part of the garden of the Tudor Arghezi Memorial House at Martisor. The garden will be accessible to residents of the Tineretului and Vacaresti neighborhoods for cultural, educational or environmental community activities.

• Explorator in cartierul meu | Dristor neighborhood, a project by the Culturalis Association

The project brings ideas for residents of the Dristor and Titan neighborhoods to help them reconnect with nature. 50 people will take part in practical activities exploring green areas, to foster civic awareness and promote a healthy lifestyle.

If you want to see how these ideas grow, follow the Facebook page of the Bucharest Community Foundation. And we’ll certainly write about them here on the BT Blog as well.

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We believe deeply in ideas that transform places and speak to the art of living. We believe in the fuel that makes it all possible: enthusiasm, solidarity and an entrepreneurial spirit. NGOs, volunteers and entrepreneurs play an essential role in strengthening what we call the community fabric - whether it’s our street, our neighborhood or the city we live in. And that fabric builds solidarity among people. Because only People can give a place its spirit. And they can make it magical.