Recently NHHG visited Romania, answering to an invite from Slatina Town Hall launched last year at The Romanian Tradition in Motion Festival organised by Romanca Society in London.
The delegation members are part of the Executive Board and staff at NHHG aiming to learn about housing, health and education, local authority, central government, integration into Europe, social challenges, and issues for Romanians in the UK.
The programme of the visit included social housing objectives in Bucharest being introdused by the Bucharest Director of Social Services, Cosmina Simean presenting the Kindergarden Alex and the Caritas Hospital transformed in a extracare unit called Acad. Nicolae Cajal.
Learning of the day included:
> how the social care in Romania is piloting for first time social entreprise in Bucharest
> what is the impact of the legislation for the third sector on private and local authority initiatives, what possible improvements can be useful for the community development
>how a more progresive model of third sector can promote succesful social care and social housing initiatives in Romania
>how the UK model for social care and housing it is beneficial to local authority and third sector in UK
>the progess that Bucharest City Hall is presenting to the eyes of the guests, is evidenced by Kate Davies, NHHG Chief Executive , that visited Romania 14 years ago
>how old town of Bucharest known as Lipscani area is regenerating by a divers SME initiatives offering new refurbished restaurants and pubs, colouring the cultural life of the town.
>how the cultural shock was well processed by the members of the delegation, absorbing the details of the visit, opening new perspectives for the perception of Romania's place in Europe
After a short visit to the Curtea Veche, Vlad the Impaler, alias Dracula, old palace, established in 14 century as Romanian capital Bucharest , we indulge in a warming dinner at Carul cu bere restaurant.
We enjoyed the first day of the visit, curtesy of Bucharest Mayor, Sorin Oprescu , being welcomed by a young but professional team from Bucharest Town Hall.
The cross cultural experience is always offering so much to see on the progress of Romanian society any time I visit Romania.
This time the visit was multiplyed by the surprise of the guests discovering Romania to its core, looking into the eyes of children or elderly, looking to old crafted architecture or grey communist blocks, discussing strategic plans or just see the beauty of progress in contradictory stages.
This time , this visit was just finding the same common ground: humanity looking for solutions on daily challenges.
Dr Ionela Flood
Romanca Society
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