Communities join together to celebrate European Neighbours Day
People across Ireland came out in force on Friday 1st June to host a fun day of celebrations to mark European Neighbours Day. The special day, promoted by the Irish Council for Social Housing, aims to bring neighbours and local people together and encourage community links.
The European event spans 33 countries, with over 12 million people taking part in celebrating the day. In Ireland, voluntary housing associations across the country hosted a wide variety of neighbourhood events for residents including tea parties, music, dancing and face painting. The Irish Council for Social Housing encouraged its member associations to hold events with residents in local communities.
In Blanchardstown, Fold Ireland organized music and entertainment for tenants in partnership with the Alzheimers Society and the local community. A tea dance was also held in in Glasnevin.
Mr Donal McManus, ICSH Executive Director, said ‘European Neighbours Day highlights the importance of the Irish Government objective for creating sustainable communities. During the boom there was more emphasis on building large numbers of houses and less on establishing stable communities. Often with new neighbourhoods they need some catalyst to encourage neighbours of often different backgrounds to get together and European Neighbours Day is a great way to do this’.
He added ‘Voluntary housing associations collectively manage over 27,000 homes in over 500 communities across the country and are focused on creating strong neighborhoods which, in turn, create strong communities’.
Many housing associations took part and hosted a variety of events in Dublin and across the country including Cluid Housing Association, Fold Ireland Housing Association, Sophia Housing Association. The ICSH will continue to promote European Neighbours Day in Ireland as an important annual event.
- The Irish Council for Social Housing is the National Federation of social housing organisations with up to 300 housing associations affiliated nationwide.
- Neighbours Day was created in Paris in 1999 to tackle apathy and fear on estates and in cities.
- Neighbours Day in 2011 was supported by over 1,200 partners (city councils, housing organisations and community groups) in more than 33 countries.
