"Living Together in Diversity"

Neighbourhood Starts at the Front Door – Not on Paper

I know about 15 of my neighbours most of them by name. We greet each other with a smile, sometimes we stop to chat about anything and everything – the garden, the heat, the grandchildren, or the latest football match. These aren’t deep friendships, but there’s warmth. There’s presence. There’s a daily life with a human face.

 I hardly know many others on my street. Perhaps a nod, a quick “hello”. And still, I feel good when I meet someone. This sense of social connectedness, as sociology calls it, is not something to be taken for granted – it’s a treasure. And sometimes, from a random chat at the rubbish bin, a deeper connection emerges: a borrowed tool, a piece of cake shared, an invitation for coffee – and suddenly trust has grown.

 Neighbourhood thrives on lived encounters. On informal closeness. On social capital that can’t be organised like a street party with a registration form.

It needs space for spontaneous connections, for shared everyday moments, for the little conversations on the pavement.

 Projects are a valuable tool. They allow committed citizens, local initiatives, and associations to identify problems early and actively shape solutions. Especially where municipal administrations are understaffed or where structural investments take priority, projects can provide vital momentum, build bridges, and create spaces for meaningful encounters.

 But real neighbourhood doesn’t grow out of short-term project cycles alone.

It needs a long-term attitude: openness, trust, and the willingness to view social cohesion as part of municipal responsibility – even beyond election cycles.

 In an increasingly diverse society, intercultural competence is no longer a luxury in neighbourhood life – it’s a necessity. Living next to someone who seems “different” – in language, culture, or lifestyle – doesn’t require fear, but encouragement. It’s the small gestures that count: a hello in the stairwell, a shared afternoon, a smile passed between strangers.

 So let’s not treat neighbourhood as a project to be managed, but as a social fabric that needs care and commitment.

With time, with heart, and with the courage to open up.

 From my municipality, I don’t just wish for posters or calls for action, but small initiatives with a big impact: a bench to sit and talk, an invitation to be part of the conversation, and an attitude that makes everyday connection possible.

Because true neighbourhood doesn’t begin with a concept paper.

It begins with eye contact.

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