A neglected park turns into a green oasis. Over 200 residents are joining in to stop soil erosion, absorb rainwater, and turn their park into a place for encounter and environmental education.
Sustainable building approaches are not only more environmentally friendly than conventional building methods – but they may also teach people how to avoid waste. Peter McIntosh, the founder of the Natural Building Collective, highlights the advantages through the example of Ulwazi Educare in Cape Town.
The approach of the Fundación Hogares understands the relevance of strengthening social cohesion in neighbourhoods to respond to city-scale challenges. José Roberto shares some valuable insights into how community organisations are shaping their surroundings in infrastructure as well as in inclusiveness.
The Friendship Bench is a community-based mental health counselling programme in Zimbabwe. Dr Ruth Verhey reflects on the contributions of such programmes to liveable communities for all.
Bogotá's Bronx used to be an area infamous for crime and violence. Gabriel Ortiz van Meerbeke outlines how the arts and the cultural industry are transforming the area into a liveable district.
Teaching and learning global citizenship may be a powerful answer to some of the most pressing challenges of our time. But how can cities approach this in their policies? Michelle Diederichs and Werner Wintersteiner on the potential of ‘local’ Global Citizenship Education.
How to improve access to education in small municipalities? Scott Frank and Ronald Kibirige from the InteRoots Initiative present a community-led example from Kasasa, Uganda.
Can design drive positive change? This was the question at the core of London’s Design Biennale 2021. Laura Puttkamer was there and gives you the latest on the future of the urban designs that are here to change the world.
Coastal regions have always had significant historical and socio-political value, making them the target of ambitious urban development plans. Amit Devale zooms in on the situation of Mumbai’s indigenous coastal tribes and their relationship with the city – and how local government plans affect their lives.
Participatory budgeting in Indonesia is not new, but policy makers still rarely consult with citizens on large-scale urban projects – even though it leads to better and more sustainable results. John Taylor and Ahmad Rifai make a strong case for embracing people-based budgets.
Indonesia is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world. But can maps help in coping with natural disasters? Harry Mahardhika Machmud from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team Indonesia shows why spatial data is key for disaster management, and how it can be tailored to the needs of local communities.
Around the world, coastal cities are threatened by storms, rising sea levels, and other climate change related hazards. With conventional approaches often both costly and ineffective, nature-based solutions are offering valuable alternatives. One example are the community-based methods developed by the NGO Mangrove Action Project.
Narrated from a community leader's viewpoint, we take a look at the neighbourhood of San Pablo, Ecuador, where the project "Guardians of the Hill" conserves urban ecosystems while at the same time empowering female community members.
In neglected parts of Mexico City, the work of the NGO ENSAMBLE shows how investing into community and togetherness can change poor urban areas for the better, including all residents in a highly participative process.
Enabling participatory democracy is the goal of South Africa's online platform Grassroot, where community members get together to change their municipalities for the better – with considerable success, as Katlego Mohlabane, outreach and campaigns coordinator at Grassroot, illustrates with examples from Mnandini and Mzondi.
