As part of its mission, ICLEI Europe advocates for inclusive place-based, and community-centric solutions in cities. In line with the New European Bauhaus values and working principles, ICLEI fully embraces community-driven solutions that are trans-disciplinary and developed across multiple levels.
ICLEI Members such as Rotterdam (The Netherlands) and Munich (Germany) are demonstrating how local action can embody the NEB values of sustainability, inclusivity, and beauty. Projects like Cultuur&Campus Putselaan (C&CP) in Rotterdam South and Creating NEBourhoods Together in Munich-Neuperlach exemplify this approach by engaging communities to co-create meaningful solutions.
Despite their local contexts, cities and initiatives across Europe face shared challenges such as the meaningful engagement of vulnerable communities, balancing innovation with preserving local identities or funding sustainability. These challenges highlight the importance of fostering peer-to-peer learning, a key aspect of ICLEI’s approach. Cross-city collaboration and peer-to-peer learning accelerate innovation and encourage adaptable, scalable solutions that benefit diverse communities.
Facing these challenges, peer-learning exchanges are crucial for overcoming barriers, fostering innovation, and creating local solutions in the true NEB spirit. By sharing insights, projects like C&CP and NEBourhoods Together can adapt and thrive. As said by Frauke Timmermans, C&CP project manager, “Learning from each other accelerates progress. What works in Munich may inspire approaches in Rotterdam, and vice versa.” This spirit of exchange will be at the heart of the Final Conference of Creating NEBourhoods Together, taking place on 27-28 March 2025 in ICLEI Member city Munich, where cities and stakeholders will come together to reflect on lessons learned and discuss the future of community-driven urban transformation. Registration is open.
However, funding sustainability remains a pressing concern for scaling lighthouse projects into long-lasting models, as seen in the case of Cultuur&Campus Putselaan or NEBourHood Together. Diverse funding streams, including private investments and public-private partnerships, are essential for maintaining these transformative initiatives.
As a facilitator of partnerships and community-driven solutions for climate resilience and urban regeneration, ICLEI advocates for innovative financial mechanisms, knowledge exchange, and capacity-building programs that can ensure the continuity of community-driven projects beyond their pilot phases.