I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples. – Mother Teresa
A leader is best when people barely know he exists when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves.– Lao Tzu
Mission
Our Mission is to create collaborative spaces worldwide where all stakeholders are empowered to create coordinated, sustainable and innovative urban settlement solutions that inform development practices and policy.
Vision
Our Vision is a world where urban space and policies regarding place-making are constructed to represent the voices and needs of the population experiencing that place, and builds the capacity of that population to be safe and succeed.
Values
Our Values are the fundamental aspects that are tied into everything we do. Our values include partnerships & coordination, community, spatial justice, and tactical urbanism. These values are integral to the functioning of the Global Community Lab and are intertwined in every project we do. Read below to learn more about each value.
Partnerships & Coordination
In alignment with Sustainable Development Goal #17, we believe that partnership and relationship-building with diverse actors inclusive to children will innovatively improve the way space is constructed.
Community
We prioritize informal and formal relationships created in settlements, and we seek to cultivate and protect those connections throughout place-making processes.
Spatial Justice
Linking social justice and space is a key priority for the creation of sustainable solutions that inform development practices and policy. Using a holistic model that recognizes the societal needs of diverse actors is highly important for the Global Community Lab.
Tactical Urbanism
“Tactical Urbanism is all about action.” – Tactical Urbanist’s Guide
The Global Community Lab (GCL) uses the framework of tactical urbanism to create actionable, tangible examples of spatial justice in communities. An innovative look at project delivery, we create labs and projects that last 1 to 7 days to exemplify that space can be more equitable, safe and child-friendly.
“Tactical urbanism may mean many different things to people, based upon their contexts, but for me, in Makadara, it meant security of the micro, small and medium enterprises sector in a crumbling economy.”
– Edith Kemunto, Participant in the Urban Spatial Justice Lab
