TAIEX-REGIO Study Visit between West Athens and Bucharest’s District 6
Accelerating social inclusion, integration and innovation by capitalizing on European funding sources
On the first day of March, a TAIEX-REGIO Study Visit spanning three days commenced between West Athens and Bucharest’s District 6. The primary objective of this visit was to augment social inclusion, integration, and innovation approaches. This short-term exchange was designed to increase the Association for the Development of West Athens (ASDA)’s and District 6’s proficiency in leveraging European funding opportunities and initiating comprehensive social inclusion projects. Through this study visit, participants were able to gain valuable insights and learn innovative strategies to promote community development and social inclusion.
The exchange capitalized on the experiences gained by both District 6 and ASDA to formulate projects that enhance the integration of marginalized communities. This exchange exemplifies the program’s potential to facilitate short-term know-how exchanges between European administrations (see TAIEX study visit between Oradea Metropolitan Area and Brno Metropolitan Area).
During the exchange, representatives from West Athens had the opportunity to visit three innovative projects located in District 6 of Bucharest. These projects were presented as examples of social innovation and community development and included the Children Personal Development Day Care Centre “Golescu-Grant mansion,” the Charity Shop Project SOCIALXCHANGE, and the Food Bank of District 6. They serve as excellent models for other communities to learn from and draw inspiration.
In addition to these projects, representatives from District 6 prepared two sessions focused on securing and managing EU funding for local strategic priorities. Additionally, on the second day of the study visit, participants were given a tour of a renovated n-ZEB school building, showcasing innovative technologies and efficient heating systems. This visit was particularly significant, as it emphasized the importance of green transitions towards carbon-neutral buildings and highlighted the crucial role that innovative technologies play in achieving this goal.
On the final day, discussions were focused on the Management of Public Services via the Intercommunity Development Association of the Bucharest Metropolitan Area. Participants learned about the association’s structure, delegation of tasks by the city, financing, and future projects. Additionally, visits to Liniei Park and the Lacul Morii area allowed for observation of these efforts in action. The presentation of the Urban Plan at the District 6 level provided further insight into the strategies being employed to improve the community.
TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer is open to staff working for programme authorities or other bodies involved in the management of ERDF, CF and JTF programmes in all EU countries. It helps staff from eligible bodies get answers to their questions on thematic aspects of the EU Regional and Urban Policy, or on cross-cutting issues related to the management and control of the programmes.
Find out everything you need to know about TAIEX-REGIO Peer2Peer by accessing its dedicated webpage, available here!
About this resource
In 2021, the European Commission launched a pilot project to improve functional area approaches in the EU and has partnered with the World Bank to implement this initiative. As part of the project, the project team collaborated with 12 functional areas from seven EU countries, providing them with tailored technical support and assistance: Zagreb Urban Agglomeration (Croatia), Brno Metropolitan Area (Czech Republic), West Athens (Greece), Lake Balaton Area (Hungary), Kalisz-Ostrów Agglomeration, Kraków Metropolitan Area (Poland), Jiu Valley and Jiu Conurbation Functional Area, Caraș-Timiș Functional Area, Cluj Metropolitan Area, Oradea Metropolitan Area, West Ialomița Functional Area (Romania), and Trenčín Functional Area (Slovakia).
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