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Have you ever wondered how an individual or a small group of neighbors can make their community a better place to live? The Social Cohesion Innovation Lab, part of the “Together for the Common Good” program, was the platform for exactly that.

This lab was created as a natural continuation of the “Local Dialogues” held in five Montenegrin municipalities - Bar, Bijelo Polje, Ulcinj, Pljevlja, and Podgorica during 2024. The main goal was to bring together a diverse group of participants - informal citizen groups, NGOs, and active individuals from local communities - to jointly develop their ideas into concrete solutions aimed at strengthening social cohesion in their communities.

In addition to working on solution development, the Lab also served as a space for learning, experience sharing, and capacity building. Guided by the principles of human-centered design and supported by mentors Danica Čelebić and Danka Ćetković, participants created innovative initiatives tailored to the real needs of their communities through hands-on work.

The diversity of participants significantly enriched our discussions. People brought life experiences from various social, cultural, and professional backgrounds, including young activists, educators, local organizations, and senior citizens. This diversity fostered dynamic group work and collaboration among different groups, ultimately leading to more inclusive and creative solutions.

In each of the five sessions, participants demonstrated a high level of enthusiasm, actively engaging in discussions and selflessly supporting one another. The Innovation Lab showed that when diverse people come together with a shared goal, remarkable solutions can emerge.