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    de Argentina
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    de Colombia
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    de Chile
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    de España
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    Around the World in a Thousand Days
    The three-year voyage of the Hōkūleʻa, a giant Polynesian sailing canoe, helped spread indigenous knowledge and concern for Earth’s future around the globe.
    Students build their own, eco-friendly dorm
    Rather than spend 500 euros each month for a tiny dorm room, these three future engineers decided to build their own passive house - for the same amount of money.
    Primitive Skills, Primeval Connections
    Learning primitive skills offers an opportunity for people to reconnect to the environment and to gain a deeper understanding of sustainable living. The U.S.-based MAPS Meet provides a forum to learn these skills.
    DITCH YOUR CUBICLE AND FIND YOUR OWN WORKSPACE
    You can use the Chinese app Didi to call a car, or use Ele.me (饿了么, a popular Chinese food delivery app) to order food, and if you want to travel, you can download Ctrip (携程, a popular Chinese travel app that can be used to book plane tickets, admission tickets, and hotel reservations). Now, you can even use an app called Mozzos (墨社) to find your own workspace.
    goethe.de/china/futureperfect
    A PHILANTROPHIC ONLINE-STORE
    imall, a philanthropic online store for universities, is the first Chinese Online-to-Offline (O2O) community e-commerce business. The imall team uses an online platform to create a philanthropic cycle of goods and capital.
    DELIVERY GIRLS
    Delivery girls thrive in India's male-dominated logistics sector. One of them is 21 years old, Scooter-riding Sunita.
    A NEW CITY DISTRICT STRAIGHT FROM THE DRAWING BOARD
    Helsinki will gain an entirely new neighbourhood for 30,000 inhabitants all at one go. Communality and care for the environment are important to the town planners. Their task is to preserve traditions but also to find new, innovative solutions.
    MIRANTE DO SOLAR: “COLONIZATION TODAY IS DIGITAL”
    Casa de Cultura e Ética engages with the island of Itaparica’s unique natural surroundings and offers a range of activities in the theater, cinema, literature, dance and visual arts. All free-of-charge.
    goethe.de/suomi/futureperfect
    Yoga for Rio de Janeiro’s Homeless
    Volunteer group offers breakfast and regular yoga classes for the city’s homeless. Project brings participants dignity and balance.
    READING PROJECT SPREADS BOOKS IN SCHOOLS
    The transformative power of reading has already reached two generations of students in Petrópolis’s municipal schools. All thanks to the work of Maria Cristina Basilio, 73 years old, founder of the Blue Dragon Book Club.
    PUFFIN PATROL ON WITLESS BAY
    A German couple with a vacation home in Witless Bay, Newfoundland have called to life an initiative to save puffins, the famous seabirds of Canada’s Atlantic coast, from stranding on the coastal streets due to light pollution.
    LOW-INCOME SCHOOLS: TAKING SPORTS TO THE GRASSROOTS
    When 13-year-old Priya first tried out sports, she was terrified of falling and hurting herself. And with no one to push her to try harder, she decided that sports was something she wasn't interested in. That was, until last year.
    goethe.de/brasil/futureperfect
    Our Museum
    The Museu do Marajó withstands lack of funding in its mission to make known the Pará island’s cultural diversity.
    YOUR TRASH IS YOUR LUXURY
    The Guandu Institute teaches chefs and cooks how to fuel their kitchens by composting their own trash.
    RETURN OF THE MOHAWK LANGUAGE IN KAHNAWAKE
    When we speak to the Mohawks of the Kahnawake Indian Reserve in their mother tongue, if only to say thank you or goodbye, we immediately see a smile appear on their face.
    HOW SANITARY NAPKINS CAN HELP PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
    Even a little sanitary napkin can protect the land, the water, and the environment. Nature lover Xie Keman and her partners are spreading the word: protecting the environment begins now.
    INDIGENOUS CULTURE FOR THE WORLD
    A collective space for storytelling and talking about indigenous culture from various regions of Brazil, online radio contributes to maintaining the traditions of various ethnic groups.
    goethe.de/korea/futureperfect
    WE ARE CONNECTION
    Eticom is a rare treasure among telephony and Internet services in Spain: a participatory and not-for-profit cooperative that is committed to doing business for the common good.
    Visions for Millions
    “48 millones” is an initiative designed to make visible and connect regional leaders in Colombia, thereby strengthening their efforts to rebuild the country after the long awaited end of the armed conflict.
    Activist on Wheels
    A resourceful skater is on a mission to develop public spaces in Amman. This is the story of Jordan’s first skate park.
    RICH CULTURAL LIFE IN A POOR DISTRICT
    Ahmad Hassan wants to offer culture for all – that is why he opened a cultural center in a suburb of his hometown of Cairo, inspiring the locals with theater, film and photography.
    de la Belgique
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    du Canada
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    de la France
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    de la Tunisie
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    A green wave for better quality of life
    In a low-income city in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the socio-environmental NGO Onda Verde has sustained ecological projects and offered professional training to men and women for 23 years.
    People are the face of the land
    For New Zealand’s Tūhoe Māori people, a spectularly sustainable building serves as the first tribal headquarters in 1.5 centuries. Here, nature, custom and community come to flourish in harmony.
    LIFELINE EXPRESS – THE WORLD’S FIRST HOSPITAL TRAIN
    India’s Lifeline Express is the World’s first hospital train. Kitted with state of the art medical facilities, it travels to rural and remote parts of the country providing free medical health care to the poor.
    A BUILDER WITH A VISION
    Forget about energy-efficient construction – architect Thomas Rau is a step ahead already, getting manufacturers and companies to handle raw materials sustainably and take responsibility even after they sell them.
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    “FEEL FREE, STEP ON THE GRASS!”
    The magazine “Piseagrama” injects criticism and creativity into the debate about public space in Brazilian cities, resulting in concrete action by citizens and exchange with initiatives from other places.
    Preschool in the Forest
    Children at Cedarsong Nature School spend their first school years – rain, shine, and snow – in five acres of Washington State forest.
    MORE THAN A LANDSCAPE
    Many inhabitants of Colombia’s capital hope to convert their mountains into places for conservation and recreation. The administration of the city is well intentioned, but in order to achieve its objective the role of private initiatives is central.
    Adiós Auto! Children have legs
    The scene is almost always the same: a traffic jam at the doors of Spanish primary schools. Hardly any children are seen without their parents. An initiative in the town of Jávea seeks to counter this way of doing things. It has rediscovered the street for schoolchildren.
    goethe.de/polska/futureperfect
    Dare to farm
    More and more Greeks move away from the cities and start over as farmers. A beekeeper, an olive farmer and a mushroom grower tell us their stories.
    Meatless Meat
    Dutch “butcher” Jaap Korteweg is on a mission to compete with industrial meat production. No animals are harmed in the process.
    Foto (CC BY-NC): Dana Ritzmann
    BREAKING THE “ISRAEL CODE”
    A Jordanian journalist teaches Hebrew to her compatriots. There is a lot of interest in the neighbor’s language in Amman, yet classes are hard to find.
    Foraging from Mother Earth
    Perplexed that no one was promoting Māori food, a New Zealand chef ventured to acquaint his people with their native flavors. Today, Charles Royal offers food tours and supplies sustainably foraged plants from the bush.
    goethe.de/magyarorszag/futureperfect
    COMBINING ENERGIES
    A hot shower, even where there is no electricity: low-income families in Argentina build their own solar water heaters using recycled materials. A non-profit organization hosts the workshops, gathers helpers and shows participants how to utilize renewable energy.
    GREAT THINGS COME IN SMALL (AD-FREE) PACKAGES
    Music festivals have become serious money-makers. While sponsors reach millions of people, artists and their music are almost relegated to the sidelines. In stark contrast, music is front and center at the MIMI festival in France.
    Return to Wool
    French sheep breeders and wool crafters join forces to restructure an ancient trade.
    Integration at Eye Level
    In an abandoned hotel at the heart of Athens, about 400 refugees live alongside volunteers. Instead of debating integration, they simply live it.
    goethe.de/brasil/futureperfect
    GAINING SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH FOOD
    North Korean defector Lee Ae-ran introduces South Koreans to the food of the North. With her restaurant Neungra Bapsang, she also helps other female defectors make a living.
    HOUSES FROM PLASTIC WASTE
    One woman’s struggle to recycle Karachi’s waste leads to the creation of an alternative technology in housing. Wherever temporal shelter is needed, this silver structure is a viable option.
    HOLISTIC AGRICULTURE RETURNS TO REMOTEST APPALACHIA
    The Allegheny Mountain Institute is finding innovative ways to replant a local agricultural economy in rural Appalachia.
    Foto (CC BY-NC-ND): Zacharias Thiel / ProSpecieRara
    Setting Free The URBAN TOMATOES
    The project Urban Tomatoes has Swiss urbanites enthusiastically farming tomatoes while producing free seeds for all.
    goethe.de/israel/futureperfect
    Captives to the Scent of Freshly Cut Grass
    For the past four years a group of enthusiasts has been meeting on the hilly meadows above Velké Karlovice in the Valašsko region to cut grass with scythes. In their free time they are helping to preserve the rare flora growing on the local meadows.
    How ‘green’ is your bike?
    All over the world, bicycles from renewable materials are gaining ground. Egyptian Karim Creta is experimenting with a local variety: palm midriffs. He is helped in his efforts by craftsmen with the needed expertise.
    The Food Saviors
    In five Argentine cities, groups of volunteers organized in the Full Plate project “rescue” leftovers from parties and events and take them to community soup kitchens.
    PICTURES OF A POSSIBLE CITY
    Once a year, the Colombian capital becomes a utopia of mobility and quiet. For a few hours, no private car is allowed to circulate on the streets. A photo essay on Bogotá's Car-Free Day.
    goethe.de/nederland/futureperfect
    THE YARN REBELLION IN ARDÈCHE
    In 1975, five penniless friends began restoring an old spinning mill in an attempt to revive the local wool industry. Today, the coop Ardelaine and its partners employ about 50 workers.
    A RAY OF HOPE FOR UNDERWATER LIFE
    Coral reefs are vital for the health of the planet, but they’re dying. In Fiji a coral gardener is trying to save the world, one reef at a time.
    Collective creation of public space
    The people of Madrid are taking to the streets again. Public institutions have joined forces with local action groups, as well as with residents, to reawaken public space.
    HILLTOP SLUM TURNED TOURIST ATTRACTION
    Gamcheon in South Korea’s biggest port city Busan was once a hilltop slum. Thanks to an unusual move by a group of villagers, artists and local officials, it is now a picture pretty collection of art studios, shops and residence buildings and a major tourist attraction.
    Australia
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    Canada
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    India
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    New Zealand
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    USA
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    MY HOME IS YOUR HOME
    In 2013, three young people opened the doors of their Valparaíso, Chile home to their entire community. It started as a coworking experience, but ended up being a great deal more: a self-sustaining space based on generous cross-collaboration.
    Fotografin: © Julia van den Broek
    The Art of Transformation
    Dutch designer Piet Hein Eek turns industrial scrap or discarded wood into designer products that last a lifetime.
    A rather different mafia
    The word “mafia” immediately calls to mind menacing figures engaging in shady business. The Budapest Bike Maffia has something completely different in mind.
    World-changing Films
    “It’s not enough to say how many people saw a film or how many Facebook likes it got,” says impact producer Hattie Archibald. “At Screen Impact, we help documentary films create real social change.”
    goethe.de/cesko/futureperfect
    CINEMA AND CULTURE ALONG THE RIVER
    The Cinema no Rio Project brings films, workshops and discussions about the reality of the immense São Francisco river to the riverbank communities.
    COMMUNAL URBAN CULTURE
    On Sauna Day, Helsinki’s homes, hotels and associations invite the public into their saunas. Sweating together helps deepen the relationship between Helsinki dwellers and their home town, while also bringing people together.
    UNITED AGAINST PROGRAMMED OBSOLESCENCE
    In Argentina, people with damaged or broken items meet to repair them at the Repair Club.
    Curvaceous Cucumber, cool and ecological
    A crooked cucumber will never make its way to the supermarket – the Querfeld initiative and Zachraň jídlo want to change that.
    Rescuing Chile’s Roots
    Two Chilean initiatives are using luxury tourism to promote small businesses in rural areas and preserve indigenous cultural heritage.
    VOICES FOR SELF-ESTEEM
    The choir group Meninas de Sinhá, comprised of women from 54 to 97 years old, has presented its members with an alternative to aches and depression for 20 years.
    NEXT CHRISTMAS: ADOPT YOUR TREE!
    Christmas trees can have a life after the holidays. The French enterprise Treezmas has been working towards this end by renting out potted Christmas trees. They are replanted or recycled to combat wastefulness.
    HOUSING AND COMMUNITY IN A MEGACITY
    In South Korea’s capital, space is limited and housing expensive. Sharehouse Woozoo has found a way to provide young people with affordable housing – and a sense of community.
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    CULTURAL ENERGY NEAR THE ZONE OF ALIENATION
    Slavutych “owes” its existence to the Chernobyl disaster. Since the reactor was shut down, the small town has been in danger of a slow demise – if it weren’t for the film festival “86”.
    Change attitudes – challenge obesity
    By using unconventional methods, the city of Seinäjoki in western Finland has managed to significantly reduce obesity among children and young people.
    MONEY FOR EVERYBODY
    The Netherlands will kick off the year 2017 by launching an experiment with an unconditional basic income starting in January - the culmination, for now, of a charismatic social scientists’ decades of activism.
    Rebuilding Karachi, One Issue at a Time
    A nascent group in Karachi rises to take control of their city; raising their voice through protest, community projects and action.
    FROM URBAN GARDENING TO THE RIGHT TO THE CITY
    A collective contributes to the transformation of a neighborhood in Recife through action taken by residents.
    INVESTIGATING ENVIRONMENTAL RACISM
    In Nova Scotia, minority and low-income communities are disproportionately located near degraded environments. An ongoing research project raises awareness of the issue, while also mobilizing affected residents to action.
    THE DOCTOR WHO COLLECTS GARBAGE
    Hiking, spending time together in nature, enjoying the fresh air… and picking up garbage along the way – all in a day’s work for a group called “Cleaning Jordan”.
    THE BIG POTENTIAL OF LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES
    A free community book exchange launches the Little Free Library movement—with 40,000 locations in 70 countries worldwide.
    AN APP FOR ORGANIC PRODUCE
    Buying organic produce directly from local producers: the Karakolas app has become a particularly useful tool for Madrid consumers.
    RIDING THE BACK OF THE WHALE
    In Māori tradition, a whale is said to have come to the rescue of a chief’s son who found himself stranded at sea. Centuries later, his tribe again turned to whales to lead their struggling New Zealand town to a new life of employment and prosperity.
    New forms of communication onstage
    The Na Laga’at Theater is the world’s only ensemble of deaf-blind actors. Onstage, they find their common language.
    THE PEOPLE’S FOREST
    In the Remscheid-based project ‘Wald 2.0’, everyone can have ‘their very own’ piece of forest. At the root of it is a coop that champions conservation and the common good.
    HELP BY GIVING TIME
    Time is money – so the saying goes. Now you can donate and even exchange your time to help people. There are many examples of this in Finland.
    AN EVENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
    In Vancouver, British Columbia, a fun running and walking race tackles climate change. The event produces no waste and is powered by solar energy and bikes, while participants raise money for renewable energy projects.
    CLOTHING WITH A CONSCIENCE
    Space Between is a New Zealand social enterprise challenging waste and exploitation in the clothing industry. Its first collection transforms unwanted postal uniforms into stunning new fashion pieces.
    © Photo (detail): Zuzana Kruťová (Licence CC BY-SA)
    SACKFULS OF LOOT
    Ten thousands of Czechs clean up the countryside in their free time. Some of their finds are rather curious.
    © Photo (detail): Leslie Malone (Lizenz CC BY-SA)
    Capital Questions
    The University of the District of Columbia is leading the charge in transforming the food system in a city challenged with high levels of poverty, obesity, and population growth.
    A Village for the Future
    The inhabitants of a Norwegian ecovillage have found community in environmentally friendly technologies and collaborative consumption.
    PROTECTING COUNTRY
    Climate change affects everyone — but not everyone evenly. If nothing is done to stop the impact of climate change, some of the oldest living cultures in the world could die out. An all-Indigenous youth activist group in Australia has risen to the challenge.
    ALLOTMENT HOLDERS CULTIVATE PUBLIC SPACE
    Why would the Slovenian Public Radio, the Botanical Garden at the University of Ljubljana and a number of volunteers all express interest in an area along a railway line? Correct: They are jointly dedicated to the cause of urban gardening.
    THERE IS LIFE AFTER US
    The second manuscript has been delivered to the Future Library. It will be guarded like a treasure at the Deichmannsken Library in Oslo until 2114.
    MUSIC THAT TRANSFORMS LIVES
    The pianist Ricardo Castro started a network of community music projects with children and youth across the state of Bahia.
    THE SKY ABOVE ROSTOCK
    Computer geeks in Rostock have set up a communication network for citizens that blocks intelligence agencies and businesses that use data for commercial purposes.
    MOVIES AGAINST BULLETS
    A community project linking film, architecture and education is emerging in a disreputable district of Bogotá, changing the face of the place.
    An Accessible World
    Imagine a world where every environment, experience and community is truly accessible for all. In New Zealand, the Be. Accessible social change movement is achieving just this.
    EMPOWERMENT THROUGH SANITATION
    Her concern with women’s health has led medical doctor Laila Garda to become an entrepreneur. In her manufactory in Pune, India, women are earning their livelihoods creating female hygiene products.
    HOPE FOR A BRIGHTER FUTURE
    In the centre of Cairo, residents have joined forces with the goal of helping their community. Their organization Ruwwad assists children, youth and families. A student article as part of the youth media project Bashkatib.
    LEARNING FROM IMMIGRANTS
    Cuisine, drumming, calligraphy: Brazilians can learn all of this from low-income expats. The platform Migraflix organizes courses with a view to integrate immigrants into the local society and labor market.
    YOUNG IDEAS SAVING THE WORLD’S OLDEST STREET
    In Alexandria, students are designing solutions to save architectural heritage. Their university professors have brought young minds and sponsoring companies together in a competition to bring forth the best ideas.
    Keeping up the Heat
    In the housing estates of Slovakia’s Košice, the buildings formerly used for district heating have become veritable cultural hotspots. It is the neighbors that fill them with life.
    © Photo: Lizenz CC BY-SA
    MEMORY IN CARDBOARD
    In Bogotá, a group of people displaced by violence describe their experiences through drawings and prints. In this way, they attempt to heal their wounds and prevent the past from repeating itself.
    © Bildausschnitt aus Video #180sec Brüssel: Time Bank (Mit-Urheber: Goethe-Institut Brüssel, Licence: coming soon)
    Time only
    “Time is money” – what if that really were the case? And we had to pay with our time?
    © Photo: Erica Austin (Licence: CC BY-NC-ND)
    Creativity in a quake-torn city
    In the wake of Christchurch’s massive earthquake, a series of social and creative projects bring new life to the battered streets.
    © Lizenz: CC BY-SA
    In the Beginning was the Grammar
    A young Arabic instructor teaches free language classes to students in a quest to save Classical Arabic. An article by two students as part of the youth media project Bashkatib.
    © Lizenz: CC BY-SA
    A dream scenario
    Tradespeople working in Canada’s oil sands have created their own organization to provide training in renewable energy. Positioning themselves at the forefront of a bourgeoning industry, they are seeking to realize a vision for a more sustainable future.
    Photo: Lybid Ye © Creative-Commons-Lizenz BY-NC-ND 3.0
    Weavers for the common good
    A former site of medicine production in Maribor has become a centre for initiatives aiming to improve the quality of life in the city.
    Photo: Lybid Ye © Creative-Commons-Lizenz BY-NC-ND 3.0
    A spot by the water
    The people of Kyiv are reclaiming the public space in their city. Thanks to a local initiative, the embankment along the formerly polluted river Lybid is filled with new life.
    A Dumpster Turned Soccer Field
    14 young men from the small town of Kafr Ghatati decide to confront the deprivations their town is suffering from by means of voluntary work as well as simple social and cultural services.
    FROM WASTELAND TO RAINFOREST
    In Kodagu, India, a couple has created a biodiversity haven. Over two decades, the Malhotras bought abandoned farmland and planted a rainforest to invite all kinds of animals into their sanctuary.
    LIVING WITH A ZERO-WASTE FAMILY
    Overflowing trash cans could be a thing of the past: It is absolutely possible to produce less than eleven pounds of trash per year. Even with children. A French family has accomplished this feat for a few years now, hassle-free, and eating well.
    REINVENTING JOURNALISM
    Financed by crowdfunding, readers’ contributions and donations by foundations, a news agency created by young Brazilian journalists is renewing the country’s news scene.
    IMPLEMENTING A WEALTH OF IDEAS
    Promoting science ideally starts in school. In southern Upper Egypt, an association is making just that possible, with success. An article by two students as part of the youth media project Bashkatib.
    THE WAY BACK TO SELF-CONFIDENCE
    Four young Greeks and their mobile laundromat Ithaca Laundry are providing the Athens homeless with clean clothes and strengthening their self-confidence. An interview.
    COPYRIGHTING NATURE
    An artist uses her creativity to fight the construction of natural gas pipelines.
    ON THE WINGS OF GIVING
    The Slovenian project Krilca offers gifts with triple effect: They make recipients happy, help people in need and decrease the pollution of our environment.
    THE PLASTIC LOOM
    Two young Egyptians reinvent plastic bags by fusing tradition and modernity.
    Beyond crisis
    Community currencies created by groups in Spain in response to the economic crisis alter fundamental aspects of the economic system and favor a more just society.
    NINJA CONSERVATIONISTS
    On Australia’s iconic Manly beach, volunteer divers are working quietly and without fanfare to clean the ocean.
    A NATURAL PATH TO “DELIVERYLAND”
    Casa Angela in São Paulo, the first home birthing center in Brazil, fights for natural birth in a country where the number of cesareans is extremely high.
    ECO-INNOVATORS
    In five weeks of hard work, about 100 creators developed an array of useful, eco-friendly prototypes that herald a new lifestyle.
    From Listener to Radio Host
    With its colloquial language and broad variety of topics, Radio Antika caters to a young audience. Sometimes the listeners themselves take a seat behind the mic. An article by two students as part of the youth media project Bashkatib.
    THE USUAL AND UNUSUAL SUSPECTS
    Executives from Canada’s biggest banks came together with other companies, landlords, the government and volunteers in a Race to Reduce. The amount of carbon emissions they saved is the equivalent of taking 4,200 cars off of Toronto’s roads.
    A DREAM OF 15 YEARS
    The first Palestinian eco-village is coming to life in Farkha. Here, the agronomist Saad Dagher has found a community to make a shared dream come true: to live autonomously and in harmony with nature.
    THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME
    Tiny houses in Eugene, Oregon, provide the formerly homeless with a sense of ownership and community.
    THEATER CHANGES LIVES
    In Aubervilliers in the Paris metropolitan region, eight amateur actors take to the stage to talk about fleeing their homes and their experiences in France. Up until the opening night of their play, they were undocumented aliens – which has since changed.
    THE POWER OF THE STAGE
    In a disadvantaged part of Tel Aviv, children and teenagers act in the plays of a Performing Arts Studio. Their parents and the studio’s adult students benefit as much as the neighbourhood children.
    FILMING ONE’S OWN HISTORY AND TRADITIONS
    Vincent Carelli created a unique film school for indigenous populations in Brazil. The School will celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2016.
    ALI AND THE SOUND OF THE BEANS
    Ali Kawakita created NOCA?! to give a home to young people who were abused by their parents during their childhood. Working hard in farming or in crafts, they find their way to independence.
    A GIFT FOR ENVIRONMENT AND CULTURE
    A recycling academy, an agent to beautify public space, a learning place for children – the Orient & Dance Theatre in Palestine is all these things at once. It was established by a manager of the municipal electricity company.
    THE ALLEY I CALL HOME
    From one summer to the next, Montreal always gets a little bit greener. Revitalized by citizen initiatives, alleys are trading in their concrete armour for a mantle of greenery.
    REVALUING RUBBISH
    As a sculpture student, Alison McDonald often couldn’t afford material like bronze. That sparked the Australian artist’s career in reinventing discarded items.
    NO SCHOOL TO IMPROVE EDUCATION
    Young Egyptian Mostafa Magdi transformed his grandfather's old house into a school that opens its doors to children for a different way of learning.
    Joining forces for sustainable cities
    Three women in New Zealand aim to cut CO2 emissions by creating an online marketplace where businesses can join forces to buy from sustainable suppliers.
    IT’S ABOUT HAVING FUN!
    Take discarded vegetables, go to a public square and mix all the ingredients with music and socializing: together Parisians cook and enjoy their “Disco Soupe”.
    NO MORE BUMPER TO BUMPER!
    The parking problem in Montreal can no longer be solved by additional parking spaces, the independent organization CRE-Montréal is convinced. It proposes that politicians find an intelligent and sustainable management plan for parking spaces.
    Giving fellow citizens a stake
    Stéphane Vlaminck is not out to conquer the world market. He supplies his microbrewery’s products locally – with a little help from an association to promote the solidarity economy.
    POWER TO THE COMMUNITY
    In the West Bank, 20 isolated Palestinian communities have access to electricity and water thanks to two Israeli physicists-activists and their enterprise Comet-ME.
    LIGHT IN ALL THE COLOURS OF THE RAINBOW
    Since he was small, Dutchman Maurits Groen has had a sort of ‘antenna for sustainability’. Today, he illuminates conflict areas and regions that are disconnected from the power grid all around the globe. The more urgently you need his WakaWaka lamp, the less it will cost you.
    Happiness through living together
    In Helsinki’s Sanervakoti people suffering from dementia and mental health problems are living under the same roof as students, sharing everyday life and special activities.
    ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM THE FORMER TOWNSHIP
    In an affluent neighborhood of Windhoek, two young men from the former township are selling organic produce. John and Immanuel Negongo are revolutionizing Namibian agriculture.
    PUPPETS RULE THE STREET
    Young lawyer Rania Refaat uses puppet shows to educate people on the streets of Cairo about their legal rights and responsibilities.
    Back to organic Farming
    Emma Ben-Haouala Bernegger has established her own brand of organic products in Tunisia, reviving traditional methods.
    Catch of the Week
    Community-supported fisheries bring the benefits of community-supported agriculture to the seas. Customers support their local economies, while receiving the freshest of seafood.
    Experimenting with Tradition
    Recycling construction waste and reviving traditional building techniques, Shams Ard studio showcases what local and sustainable architecture can mean in Palestine.
    The Sustainable Energy of Young Ideas
    Inspiring Stories has an ambitious goal: the charity supports young New Zealanders in developing ideas for a better future.
    Culture, not Folklore
    As the Chinese middle class are seeking rest and relaxation, the remote regions of their country are becoming the target of commercial schemes. But there are alternatives, architecture offices like standardarchitecture demonstrate: in their structures, local traditions meet development for tourism.
    Culture in the wilds
    The Rauniokaupunki cultural association brings music and theatre to Kajaani, a town in the North of Finland, surrounded by wilderness.
    Sustainability Glasses
    The Heschel Center wants to promote awareness for sustainability in Israel by supporting activists and multipliers.
    Back to life by bike
    With his bicycle repair shop, social worker Lee Hyeong-un teaches the homeless how it feels to be a part of society. A visit in Seoul’s skyscraper canyon.
    The Beauty of the Periphery
    In Salvador da Bahia, the Laje Collection exhibits works by artists of the periphery, thereby contributing to locals valuing the history of their neighborhoods.
    The Democratization of Water
    Three Chilean engineers developed FreshWater, a domestic appliance. It could grant millions of Latin Americans autonomous access to safe drinking water.
    High, not mitey!
    It’s far from a dog’s life for bees living on rooftops in Melbourne, Australia, free from the Varroa mite that has afflicted the rest of the world.
    Training ground for creative communities
    Poligon is the first creative centre in Slovenia for creative economies, social entrepreneurship, and culture.
    Can Rap Raise Awareness for the Environment?
    In a disadvantaged neighborhood in the north of Marseille, magazine Reporterre used the power of rap to create a connection between environmental awareness and the residents’ everyday problems.
    The Floating Dutchman
    In the tradition of his water-taming nation, Dutchman Koen Olthuis designs floating islands to dwell and live on – not least because climate change calls for new solutions in architecture.
    Programming Democracy
    Itself an offspring of the revolution, the Youth Decides association is helping Tunisian youth take their political and economic destiny into their own hand.
    Peddling a New Model of Urban Farming
    Bike-riding farmers in Orlando, Florida, are helping communities produce their own food—right on their own front lawns.
    Living and Learning
    The Vila Flores Project revitalizes an architectural complex and facilitates cultural, social and educational projects in Rio Grande do Sul’s capital, Porto Alegre.
    Harvest your City
    Plum trees, elder bushes, mushrooms – the city has many more food sources to offer than local supermarkets. Those who open their eyes and hearts will have a secret world reveal itself. A comic .
    Seed Guardians
    The inclusive, horizontal and autonomous network Red Semillas Libres Chile aims to preserve the cultural heritage that is our seed stock and to combat genetically-modified seeds and monocultures.
    A Taller, Greener Future
    An abandoned brewery site near the very heart of Australia’s largest city has been reborn, and it’s becoming the toast of the town.
    Between rice paddies and golf courses
    A new generation of Chinese architects is working against mass development projects, in and together with the countryside. They are boosting the revalorization of China’s built cultural landscape.
    Community Tourism in the Amazon
    In Tapajós-Arapiuns, an Amazon region in the north of Brazil, a private initiative works towards making tourism a conscientious and sustainable practice in defense of the environment and local cultures.
    Books and seniors are back in the game
    In Czech cafés, boxes function as second-hand bookshops. Seniors supply the books, the proceeds then finance the old folks' activities.
    The Miracle of Mals
    By banning pesticides in a referendum, the community of Mals in Southern Tyrol is set to garner worldwide attention. That does not mean that the conflict is settled.
    Every Tunisian a Horseman
    Trad Ben Gobrane has launched a movement for the revalorization of the traditional Tunisian horse-related professions. For a simple idea to turn into a concrete project took great perseverance.
    A Tale of Pollen and Empowerment
    In Chicago, Sweet Beginnings helps people returning from prison learn how to make a living with bees – changing ideas about ecology and imprisonment along the way.
    Get the Karma started!
    Van Bo Le-Mentzel is tackling the big question of what makes good entrepreneurship—and he is finding the answer in the Crowd.
    Creating Livable Spaces
    Architect, scientist and author Jana Revedin champions sustainability in architecture and urban development. Her work makes a case for unhurried design and lasting quality.
    The Man Who Makes the Lights Come on
    New ideas for the old world are the only way to save this planet. Thinks Daan Roosegaarde, Dutch designer and eco-conscious tech-poet.
    A Lady with many Hats
    Sonia Mhamdi has taken charge of the challenges facing a run-down oasis in southern Tunisia and transformed it into a new center of production center and hope.
    “Don't make it too neat!”
    Not much space is needed to feel the energy of local plant seeds, as the Japanese participants of the miniature garden-workshop SEEDS OF LIFE experience.
    Visionary Housing, a Model for the Future
    Community Land Trust BXL buys land in central Brussels to bould affordable residences. The houses are then sold, the land is not.
    Wedding High-Tech and Traditional Materials
    Architect Péter Pozsár is on a mission to ease social woes in eastern Hungary: building 7,000 new homes in five years while lowering the region’s high unemployment rates.
    Thinking Outside of the Box
    In the North of Paris, the Carton plein association collects, cleans and sells discarded boxes. People in precarious situations recycle, deliver by bike and help move – gaining professional and life skills in the process.
    Carpenters Building Human Rights
    At CUCULA, a “refugees’ company for crafts and design”, five young asylum seekers are building sustainable livelihoods for themselves by making and selling designer furniture.
    An Urgent Warning
    Since the climate doesn’t wait for politics to catch up, Marjan Minnesma is changing the world herself. With her Urgenda foundation, she presses ahead on the energy revolution.
    “Art That Walks in the World”
    Two California artists are creating public sculptures that heal damaged ecosystems and eventually disappear back into nature.
    Guardians of the Village
    An architectural gift to the poverty- and conflict-ridden eastern Hungarian village of Szakácsi has given the locals strength for communal action.
     
    Rooftop Paradise
    The demographic crisis is turning Gaza into a concrete jungle, green space is lacking. Rooftop agriculture is a small solution for a big problem.
    The Spiš Miracle
    In a region known for unemployment and troubles surrounding the Roma minority, the thriving village of Spišský Hrhov is proof that goodwill and tolerance can make a difference.
    Occupying and embracing public space
    Active citizens in West São Paulo have revitalized a square to create a small oasis in the middle of the city.
    Shock Therapy
    Germany is haunted by a Poltergeist: A Berlin-based international group of activists hounds cliques and corporations that deemed themselves safe from grassroots protests.
    Happiness is in the field!
    In the village of Sidi Thabet, a farm welcomes disabled children from disadvantaged families, providing the opportunity of vocational training. Along the way, the children acquire the art of “horse whispering”.
    Engaging tableware
    Three students demonstrate how to make your own edible tableware with their project ZestawZESTAW.
    Looking into each other's eyes
    When homeless women cook for the public, the prejudices melt. Jako doma, a Prague NGO, gives the stage to the cooks – and a voice.
    The Sheep in Wolf's Clothing
    Since the squeaky wheel gets the grease, editors of the online magazine LAMM ask questions in the name of sustainable consumption. Corporations, watch out!
    Cooperation in the Spirit of the Hummingbird
    For a decade now, the agro-ecological centre Les Amanins has welcomed anyone interested in cooperation, education, autonomy and resource-friendly economic activity.
    Fermenting Change
    The ancient culinary craft of fermentation is bubbling up once again. In a climate-constrained future, it could preserve both food and cultural diversity.
    The other side of the coin
    In a deprived district of the small Belgian city of Ghent, the local Toreke coin reveals how big the transformative impact of alternative currency systems can be.
    Less Ownership, More Use
    Entrepreneur Henry Mentink wanted to boost the appeal of fair trade stores—and incidentally, he introduced car sharing to the Netherlands.
    Refurbishment of repair services
    At the Repair and Service Center in Vienna, the long-term unemployed retrain to be "mechatronic engineers" and repair electronic devices. Founder Sepp Eisenriegler tirelessly initiates networks, projects, and cafés—all dedicated to the art of fixing things.
    Self-management and activism in the post-industrial age
    Espacio G stands for an artistic agenda beyond the merely academic, distributing knowledge freely and disrupting established structures.
    Of Mayors and Gorillas
    One city, two segments, neatly separated according to rich and poor. Gentrification, terminated leases, luxury renovations: Goldgrund Realty makes it possible!
    School for Change
    Students from hostile sides of the Middle East learn and live together at Israel's Eastern Mediterranean International School. Their first lesson in preparation for a complex and interconnected world: trying to understand each other.
    City eyesore turned park
    The action group CanalPark BXL is pulling out all the stops to convert a concrete jungle of a no-go area into a lively neighbourhood park: building a play area, raising funds, and planting trees.
    House of the Aged
    Abir Rouis, with her association Mazalet El Barka, wants to revive the hopes of elderly abandoned people. The young woman is building bridges between the generations in one of the poorest regions of Tunisia.
    Literature in the periphery
    The Cooperative for Culture of the Periphery (Cooperifa) has brought poetry to one of the most violent regions of São Paulo for 14 years.
    Choosing Tomorrow’s Energy—Together
    By contributing to the citizens’ fund and association Énergie Partagée, everyone can become a champion of the energy revolution—for example, by supporting solar energy from Normandy.
    The STOR(e)-Keeper
    Teacher Heinz Frey halted the demise of "mom-and-pop stores" by creating new village centres—first in his home village, then in other communities and urban districts.
    The Return of the Textile Industry
    Sina Trinkwalder did what all experts declared impossible: she built a textile factory in Germany and is paying decent wages.
    On the way to taking root
    Ecodrom93 enables Roma families in the suburbs of Paris to grow their own vegetables and make a home for themselves in the community.
    Swooning over Swarms
    Bees are in acute danger; in rural monocultures, they hardly find sustenance. The network Berlin summt! provides urban habitats for bees.
    Net gain
    The US start-up Bureo fights ocean pollution and supports Chilean fishing communities by upcycling discarded fishing nets into skateboards.
    And then a light went off
    Infrared panels provide focused and energy-efficient heating. Entrepreneur Niels van Lingen is burning to spread the technology.
    An Oasis In The Food Desert
    Arcadia Mobile Market tackles food insecurity in Washington, D.C., by driving the grocery store around. Is food security just a school bus away?
    The Anarchists’ Bread
    The bakers of La conquête du pain keep their quarter in Montreuil happy with delicious baguettes... while practicing anarchism.
    A weekend in the countryside
    Paraszt-Wellness in Gömörszőlős, Hungary, gives volunteers insights into sustainable farming and ecological lifestyles.
    A Sweet Chocolate Dream
    Josef Zotter’s organic, fair-trade chocolate creations are extraordinary—and spite market demands. Astoundingly, that is the key to the Austrian’s great success.
    New Lives For Old Objects
    In Montreuil, the Collecterie resource center is fighting waste by recycling trash—and generating jobs.
    Much more than vegetables
    In the Jardins de Cocagne gardens the jobless and homeless find self-confidence and support in creating a future.
    Thank God It’s Saturday!
    Each bicycle is a piece of art: Christopher Lewis finds long-discarded classics and creates elegant signature bikes. On toward a second life, let’s go chase some fast cars!
    (B)Old Farmer
    Josef Sichler has switched his farm to organic. And become an activist: He convinced his dairy distributor to accept milk only from farmers who rear their livestock GMO-free.
    Big Money for Small Businesses
    A short history of money—and the story of how Swiss WIR Bank is protecting small and mid-sized companies from the pressure of continuous growth.
    A step towards transformation
    In Reading, the United States’ second poorest city, the residents’ group Permacultivate is practicing and preaching local food production.
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