Placemaking Ambassadors

Shaping neighbourhoods,
becoming community leaders

The Ambassador network constitutes a space (online and F2F meetings/working groups/workshops at local level) where the local youth is able to interact with each other, have access to the learning tool and online exercises, seek for assistance from professionals in any related topic concerning the development of their local initiatives/projects.

Amongst the six participating countries, there are 30 Placemaking Ambassadors who act as role models in their communities for the processes of inclusion and active citizenship.

The following values, aims and goals guide the project and so also the ambassador’s network:

Ambassadors in Germany

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Hi! I am Alicia and I am from Mexico, but I have been living in Germany for the past three years. I have a great interest towards the study of gender and social inequalities in urban studies. Therefore, being part of projects such as Placemaking Ambassadors is a great honour and a chance to learn and work in participatory processes for a city like Erfurt.

Since 2017, she has been active in Myanmar political and institutional reforms. She co-founded “Bikes in Ygn”, a group of young people who are enthusiastic for the transformation of Yangon into a green, livable and human-centered city. She was a legislative and governance fellow with the US State Department and American Council of Young Political Leaders.

I am an architect who is curious about the relationship between architecture and the human being, and I am keen on studying how design can stimulate social interaction and improve the day-to-day lives of citizens. I am interested in being able to help human and environmental difficulties through architecture and urban design. I joined the program both to learn new tools at a professional level and to claim the needs of young people from a personal level.

I am a first year student at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona and I am studying Sociocultural Gender Studies. I was very interested in the idea of the Social Inclusion and Placemaking and wanted to see what I could do to improve the human habitat with people who share the same goal as me.

My name is Júlia Marbà, I graduated in Superior Architecture in July 2020 from La Salle University – Ramon Llull. I am passionate about Art and the Humanities and that is why I started studying Art History at the University of Barcelona in September 2017. I am currently combining my first projects as a freelance architect and studies in History of Art. I am outgoing and very sociable, I am always ready to help.

I am critical of the world that I got to live, but optimistic and eager to learn. Lover of the mountains in the summer, the beach in the winter and all the sunsets whatever the season. I am attracted to any artistic expression, be it architecture, product design, painting or cinema, and I do all this and live it with a smile.

I’m Aris and I’m 24 years old. I am from Greece, but this period I am studying in Barcelona. In general, my personality is quite complex, and that is why I sometimes have a hard time making decisions. However, I love to socialize, meet people, travel, listen to music and make conversations about various topics, especially politics and society. My character can also be described as spontaneous, if not a bit sceptical when important decisions have to be made, also “ambitious” because of the challenges that I consider essential, such as social and environmental justice and solidarity among people.

From a very young age it was clear that I wanted to work in education, and right now I am in my first year studying Early Childhood Education at the Autonomous University of Barcelona. I am a fan of the mountains, sports and music. I play guitar and ukulele and occasionally write a song. Popular culture is my life. From the age of 2 I run between correfocs (fire-runs) and gegants (processional giants) of my city. I describe myself as an active, empathetic and very dreamy but down-to-earth person.

My name is Marc Modolell Rodríguez and I am an architect who graduated from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (ETSAB-UPC) in 2020. I currently work in an office specializing in urban planning.

Since the beginning of my studies, I have had a special interest in the discipline of urban planning and the configuration of the territory and the city at all scales. However, I understand urbanism beyond its ability to transform the physical environment, but also by its ability to influence and transform the way society relates to each other and to its environment.

It is for this reason that I decided to get involved in the Placemaking 4 Inclusion program, in order to learn and share different ways of improving the urban experience, from a social, inclusive and sustainable perspective, that recovers the human scale of the space.

Ambassadors in Italy

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Hello everyone! My name is Valeria and I am 27 years old. I am from Palermo. I participate in “PM4I” because of my interest in improving cities and common spaces, helping both the environment and people who live in it. I am also in search of inspirational contents and new ways to experiment my aptitudes and skills. I have a humanistic education and I am passionate about food and animals.

Hi everyone! My name is Emanuele and I’m twenty years old. I’m from Palermo and here I’m studying Law at the University of Palermo. I decided to participate in the “PM4I” project because I’m interested in understanding how people can play an active role in society and how placemaking can help.

I am Giuseppe Tomasello and I am attending the Master’s degree in Territorial, Urban and Environmental Planning at the University of Palermo. I am 22 years old and I decided to become a Placemaking’s Ambassador because I am studying land management and I am interested in learning more about the concept of public space and how to create it.

I’m Muhammed Jammeh and I’m from the Gambia. I migrated to Italy when I was 16 years old and now I’m 22. I’m studying Nursery at the University of Palermo and I am an activist and that’s the main reason why I decided to participate: as an activist I want to learn how to give my contribution to society through placemaking.

Hi guys, I’m Emilia, I’m 24 years old and I’m from Palermo. I am a PhD student in Experimental Oncology and Surgery. I choose to participate in “PM4I” because I take care of my city and of natural and public spaces in here. I think that cooperation with other young people with the same goals can give an important contribution for improving our cities.

Hi everyone. I’m Manfredi and I’m twenty-three years old. I’m studying Agricultural and forestry science and technology at the University of Palermo and at the moment I work in a laboratory for chemical analysis. I decided to participate in the “PM4I” because I think it’s a very valid project, it gives a voice to young people and it allows for an exchange of ideas and reflections with other people in their own city and many others.

My name is Domenico, I’m 26 years old. I’m from Palermo in Italy and I live in Palermo. I have a degree in Sports Science. I work in the social field, with youngsters between the ages of 13 and 20. I participate in PM4I because I’m interested in valuing and improving the common areas of the suburbs of Palermo.

Hi everyone! I’m Sonia, I’m 25 years old and I’m attending the master’s degree course in Territorial, Urban and Environmental Planning after having obtained a degree in Urban Planning and City Sciences, which allowed me to study many cities and in particular Palermo (I know its history, strengths and weaknesses). I decided to become a placemaking ambassador to put my local knowledge into practice and contribute to improve our cities.

I am Justice Duah Agyemang and I live and study in Germany. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Development Planning from Ghana and I am currently pursuing a Master Degree in Public Policy at the Willy Brandt School of Public Policy, Erfurt Germany. For four years, I have worked with both governmental and non-governmental organisations on rural and urban development projects including community participation, environmental and health intervention projects. With my current and future focus on health and urban transformation in the global south, I am hopeful that being a placemaking ambassador will enhance my knowledge and skill set. Additionally, I am confident of using my previous relevant knowledge to contribute to the project’s objectives

Hello! I am Collins from Cameroon. I’ve been residing in Germany since 2019, and my background is in political science and international relations. Currently, I am working with the United Nations as an intern. I decided to join the Placemaking programme because I am enthusiastic about social inclusion especially for minority groups.

I am a junior architect from Vietnam, currently living and working in Erfurt, Germany. With a study background in architectural design and urban studies, my working and research interests focus on the relationships of people and spaces, particularly public space and social integration; urban space for better social inclusion and connection. Participating in the Placemaking Ambassadors Program of the CGE Erfurt, I would like to learn from practice the approaches and the implementation process to promote effective usage of public space or neighborhood communal places with the active involvement of diverse community stakeholders, especially considering the youth and other marginalized groups.

I am Karina Mendoza Llontop and I am currently studying a master of Integrated Urban Development and Design at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar in Germany. I come from Peru and I hold a bachelor degree in architecture from Universidad de Lima. Before starting my master’s degree, I worked 4 years as an architect in Peru and I was also part, as a volunteer, of a project for small urban interventions to improve public spaces in my city called “Ocupa Tu Calle”. I am very interested in a human-centred and inclusive approach to urban design and architecture.

I am confident that being a placemaking ambassador will help to consolidate previous knowledge and experiences in urban participatory processes and will help me to gain new skills to apply in future projects. I am very excited to learn from the different experiences and perspectives from all the international ambassadors.

Hi! I’m Eleni and I am a co-founder of an NGO called ‘See in Action’ in Thessaloniki, Greece. The aim of See in Action is to connect young people addressing public-related social issues. As I studied in the field of International Relations, my dream is to motivate young people and encourage civil societies to raise their voice against any type of discrimination. I support ‘PM4I’ project because I believe in the strong impact it can create among youngsters. I am now 24 and I count on the power that me and my peers have to formulate a new society of equal opportunities.

Hi there! This is Georgia! I am a founder of Learning Seed, a human-oriented NGO in Argos, Greece. Since I became an independent adult, I have been working as a youth worker and passionate supporter of equality and social inclusion. This is why I came up with the idea of Learning Seed. The NGO is focused on women empowerment and support through motivational sessions and training courses. I strongly believe in the power of my region to create a strong impact among young people and this is what I strive for!