Informal living in Romania – debate & exhibition

 On March 19, at the ARCUB (Arcelor Hall) the SOS debate took place: Informal living in Romania. The debate was organized by MKBT: Make Better, PACT Foundation, GAL Reșița, DEP Bumbești Jiu Association and Valea Corbului Initiative Group and took place at the One World Romania Festival 2018. Along with the debate, the photo exhibition was inaugurated ” No Man’s Land ”(March 15-26, 2018), which illustrates, through the eyes of photographers Bogdan Dincă and George Popescu from Documentaria.ro, the daily realities of informal settlements. The debate, moderated by Anamaria Vrabie (MKBT), had as guests: Alina Tudor (ENEL), Marius Păcuraru (Valea Corbului Initiative Group), Mirela Dima (CEZ Romania), Nicoleta Chiriță (Habitat for Humanity), Rodica Păun ( Policy Center for Roma and Minorities, Buctefan Buciuc (BCR), Bogdan Suditu (MKBT) and Ioana Petrache (PACT Foundation). 

During the debate several issues were raised: the fact that informal settlements designate a variety of situations, thus requiring differentiated approaches; the magnitude of the phenomenon and the continuous growth, determined also by a non-acceptance on the part of the decision-makers and the enabled institutions. That is why communication and working with local public authorities, as well as the use of inspiration for success models in other countries – for example, the case of Macedonia, where Habitat for Humanity provided technical assistance and micro-financing for improvement.

An example of good practice is also a recent intervention in the Bucharest neighborhood of Ferentari, where Policy Center for Roma and Minorities and ENEL worked in partnership to improve the access to electricity of the inhabitants of the area. The mediator who facilitated the relationship between the community and the electricity supplier and who supported the people in the bureaucratic endeavors was extremely important.

The debate ended by stressing the importance of involving directly affected people in choosing solutions that can only be tailored to each community.

You can view the recording of the debate here:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZGR2BS9hok

The conclusions of the debate can be found HERE.