ELFAC, the European Large Families Confederation, has submitted to the European Commission the final report of the Better Future Festival project it has coordinated, in which four European municipalities have participated: Alghero (Italy), Creixell (Spain), Gdynia (Poland) and Bacau (Romania). You can download the report on the event in Bacau, which took place on 31 May and 1 June this year, at this link.

The link to the report on the Bacau event is:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C2zdU56J4V5u4yEuIMT6aUT9-SEGiFy3/view?usp=drive_link

ELFAC, Confederația Europeană a Familiilor Numeroase, a prezentat Comisiei Europene raportul final al proiectului Better Future Festival pe care l-a coordonat și la care au participat patru municipalități europene: Alghero (Italia), Creixell (Spania), Gdynia (Polonia) și Bacău (România). Raportul privind evenimentul din Bacău, care a avut loc în perioada 31 mai – 1 iunie anul curent, poate fi descărcat de la acest link.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C2zdU56J4V5u4yEuIMT6aUT9-SEGiFy3/view?usp=drive_link

EVENT DESCRIPTION SHEET

(To be filled in and uploaded as deliverable in the Portal Grant Management System, at the due date foreseen in the system.  Please provide one sheet per event (one event = one workpackage = one lump sum).)

The fourth segment of the Better Future Festival project, managed by the European Network of Family-Friendly municipalities and the European Confederation of Large Families (ELFAC), took place in Bacau, Romania, on May 30th and June 1st, 2025. This event was grant-funded by the Citizens, Equality, Rights, and Values (CERV) call of the EU.

This segment of the Better Future Festival project saw attendance by network cities Alghero (Italy), Creixell (Spain), and Gdynia (Poland). These municipalities were joined by the members of the ELFAC board. The theme of this two-day festival was ‘Inclusive Growth’.

On Saturday June 1st, a congressional conference, titled “Inclusive Growth on a Family Scale”, was

organized in a business hub in the City of Bacau.

This event was hosted in cooperation with the Association of Large Romanian Families (ASFANU). The event featured experts on EU policies related to demographic challenges, social rights, decent work, work-life balance, and intergenerational support for children and the elderly. During the conference, municipalities shared good practices between one another, aiming to promote and improve inclusive family-friendly growth as well as support for families through company policies, association initiatives, and the involvement of local governments.

The deliverables from the Bacau event, including the summary of best practices, manifesto of young people, and video of the event, are compiled within this document.

Workshop of best practices

The Mayor of Bacau, Lucian-Daniel Stanciu-Viziteu, began by welcoming delegations and presenting on the hosting city’s best practices, beginning with the municipality’s integrated development strategy. In the past, Bacau was a purely industrial city and often suffered from economic crises. Due to the lack of substantial educational infrastructure and the tourism industry, the municipality struggled to develop. However, Bacau adopted a policy of integrated development – offering solutions to the most vulnerable, attracting companies to provide jobs, proposing an innovative economy, and becoming an increasingly green city.

The Mayor presented several additional good practices, including the ‘value ticket’, a food aid card with almost 23,000 beneficiaries. Bacau explained how social support in the form of basic resource provisions functioned as an effective mechanism for economic revitalization. Additionally, Bacau presented on social housing offered to young people and Roma families, as well as doctors and nurses.

Bacau, being the first Romanian municipality to join the European network of family-friendly municipalities, shared its progress in investing in nurseries, new schools and canteens, a day care centre for children and young people, and new community playgrounds. This modernization has allowed Bacau to develop its community environment into a place ideal for families, bolstering its economy and its social culture simultaneously.

Within the administration’s projects, the renovation of Bacau’s large civic park is of particular importance. Thanks to a contribution of 15 million euros in European funds, the park is destined to become a center for all sports, creating a large community space with significant utility for all. A second integrated community centre is also in Bacau’s development pipeline, as well as a UNICEF certification as a “child-friendly city”.

The city of Gdynia then presented on its current challenge – with 240,000 inhabitants, residents under 18 make up only 17.5% of the population, while those over 60 make up 29.1%. As a result, Gdynia participates in the Global Network of Age Friendly Cities and Communities, bolstering several senior- friendly polices such as a senior card and a pharmaceutical care project for seniors. Simultaneously, Gdynia shared how it is prioritizing youth. In particular, Gdynia has focused on the theme of sustainable and decent work for all, developing a social innovation lab to experiment with innovative micro-enterprises. To account for the lack of public childcare facilities, the municipality has also

contributed to the “Active Parents” project, contributing up to £1,500 for parents to either stay home and care for their children, hire a babysitter, or enroll their child in private care.

Gdynia then presented about its six neighborhood centers, where nearly four thousand events for over 30,000 Polish people have been organized. These events represent shared intergenerational spaces for both younger and older people, promoting collaboration between generations. The city also boasts an information center dedicated to families, where psychologists and family counsellors are available, alongside a municipal youth council. These programs focus on the needs and participation of young people, which is expressed through the inclusive opportunity for everyone, even the youngest, to vote on participatory budget projects. Gdynia, as a result of these policies, has achieved UNICEF

certification as a “child-friendly city”.

Creixell (Spain) then shared its effective policies. In particular, the municipality highlighted excursions and workshops for the elderly, targeted at combating ageing and loneliness. Creixell also offers opportunities for intergenerational socializing, such as through the “How are you?” program in which local police contact the elderly daily, keeping their house keys in case of need or emergency. In Creixell, ‘senior taxis’ guarantee that all elderly individuals have access to medical care and can attend appointments. In the realm of young people, Creixell has made nurseries free for all children under 2 and has designed parks and community spaces to be friendly for both elderly and young individuals.

Alghero (Italy) Emphasized the role of education in its municipal activities. Of particular interest was the Betania Association, which provided inclusive support to individuals across the municipality through the provision of scholarships, educational resources, and therapy centers for autistic children. The association also runs two companies, a farm and a hostel, where the young people it supports find work. There are additionally future plans to build social housing for 200 people.

In summary, during the workshop during the Bacau segment of the Better Futures Festival project, four different municipalities from four different countries presented their best practices in the realm of inclusivity and accessibility. Many of these policies focused on developing societies that are friendly for both children and the elderly through supportive social policy, community development, and governmental support.

Manifesto of Young People

During the Better Future Festival event in Bacau, student participants from participating municipalities came together for a panel to create a manifesto that outlined the vision of Europe aspired to by young people. This manifesto was developed to highlight desired changes and the expectations placed on local and national governments, as well as on the EU.

The manifesto process differed between festivals; however, within this particular segment of the Better Future Festival, youth participants ended up developing a full document. This was unlike some other sessions, where the workshop had instead placed focus on active discussion as opposed to development. The manifesto of young people from Bacau can be found below.

Preamble

As host of the Better Future Festival 2025, the Municipality of Bacău reaffirms its long-term commitment to fostering a family-friendly city model. We believe that addressing demographic challenges requires not only policy interventions but also cultural change, and that this must begin early – through education, community engagement, and youth empowerment.

Bacău stands ready to contribute to the European family-friendly agenda by promoting a shared vision: the development of a culture that values and sustains family life, starting from the formative years of young citizens

1. Core Principles

Family is a social foundation essential to the cohesion, sustainability, and development of communities.

Youth are key agents of cultural transformation and must be equipped early with the tools and values that support responsible family life.

Policies are most effective when they are embedded in educational and social systems from early childhood to adolescence.

1. Policy Commitment of the Municipality of Bacău

The following initiatives have already been implemented by the Municipality and serve as examples of good practice that align with ELFAC values:

Expansion and modernization of nurseries and kindergartens, facilitating early social integration and reducing barriers for working parents.

Substantial investment in school infrastructure, promoting inclusive, modern education environments that support long-term academic and personal development.

Redevelopment of schoolyards into multifunctional community spaces, fostering intergenerational interaction and family engagement.

Creation of playgrounds and modernized public parks, such as the upcoming Parcul Gherăiești and Promenada Bistriței, promotes shared recreational experiences.

Youth-accessible programs such as Swimming School, subsidized public transport, and school buses, ensuring mobility and active participation in city life.

Hub Orizont, a civic innovation center encouraging youth-led entrepreneurship and community projects that prioritize social values, including family and care.

Cultural and educational events, such as Children’s Day, Open-Air Cinema, and

Bacău Days, that build community bonds and celebrate family life.

• Vision: Teaching Family-Friendliness from an Early Age

We propose a long-term, integrated approach, in collaboration with ELFAC and local stakeholders, to embed a family-friendly culture in the early development of Bacău’s youth. This includes:

Curricular Inclusion: Promote themes such as work-life balance, intergenerational solidarity, parenting skills, and shared responsibilities in school programs, especially at the secondary level.

Youth Participation in Policy-Making: Establish local Youth and Young Families Advisory Councils, empowering young people to influence policies that affect their present and future family lives.

Civic Education through Practice: Engage students in intergenerational volunteer projects, family- centered urban planning, and local initiatives such as family-friendly audits of public services.

Public Communication Campaigns in Schools: Introduce age-appropriate awareness programs about demographic trends, community wellbeing, and the role of the family in social resilience.

1. European Alignment and Collaboration

Bacău aligns with the principles of the Family-Friendly Municipalities Network and seeks to:

Contribute actively to ELFAC’s policy dialogue and share outcomes of the Bacău experience.

Participate in transnational exchanges with other cities tackling demographic challenges via education and culture.

Propose the inclusion of “Family-Friendly Youth Education” as a pillar in future EU urban development

and demographic resilience frameworks. The original manifesto can be viewed here.

Event Videos and News Coverage

The link to the Creixell Better Future Festival video compilation can be found here.

The photo album from the event can be found here.

News coverage of this event by ELFAC can be found here.

Media:

https://www.bacau.net/ziua-copilului-in-bacau-trei-zile-de-festival-pentru-cei-mici-si-familii-la-better- future-festival/

https://www.infocamp.cat/arxiu-seccio-societat/item/67507-creixell-participa-al-better-future-festival-a- romania

https://www.creixell.cat/noticies/creixell-participa-a-la-4a-edicio-del-better-future-festival-a-bacau- romania

https://municipiulbacau.ro/program-festivalul-copiilor-si-al-familiei-%E2%9D%97%EF%B8%8Fmasuri- de-ordine-publica-si-restrictii-de-circulatie/

https://ziaruldebacau.ro/festivalul-copiilor-si-al-familiei-better-future-festival-in-municipiul-bacau-vezi- programul-si-activitatile/

https://altafullaradio.cat/noticia/creixell-continua-posant-en-valor-la-seva-aposta-per-les-ciutats- inclusives-i-sostenibles-en-una-nova-jornada-de-treball-a-europa_n19171

https://www.desteptarea.ro/adda-si-feli-vedetele-alese-de-copii-pentru-ziua-copilului-la-bacau- programul-festivalului/

https://www.roevent.org/2025/program-festivalul-copiilor-si-al-familiei-2025-bacau-concerte-feli-adda- si-lary/

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/events/piata-tricolorului/festivalul-copiilor-%C8%99i-al-familiei-bacau- better-future-festival-/1371939990716264/

https://www.facebook.com/MunicipiulBacau/posts/evenimentele-din-perioada-urmatoareweekendul- 30-mai-1-iunie-de-ziua-interna%C8%9Biona/1034700092184805/

https://www.tiktok.com/@municipiulbacau/video/7510220704629984534

https://www.facebook.com/firstep2013/videos/better-future-festival-/1753951785331101/

https://www.facebook.com/MunicipiulBacau/videos/am-dat-start-distrac%C8%9Biei-de-ziua- interna%C8%9Bional%C4%83-a-copilului-bac%C4%83ul-devine-capita/1274294197447989/

PROGRAM

BETTER FUTURE FESTIVAL – INCLUSIVE GROWTH

30 May – 1 June, 2025, Bacau – Romania

Friday, May 30 Arrival of Participants Saturday, May 31

Conference & Cultural Program Conference (ends no later than 6:00 PM)

• Moderation: Representative of the Bacău City Hall
• RO – ENG translation provided
• Invited participants:
• Family-friendly companies from Bacău:

1. Moncler – clothing production, has an in-house kindergarten https://www.mocom/en-ro/
2. Dedeman – DIY & home improvement retailer, founded by 2 brothers form a large family with 9 children https://dedeman.ro
3. Agricola – chicken products producer, has its own kindergarten https://www.agro

• Invited NGOs:
• Foundation for Community Support – Bacău https://fsc.ro/
• Betania Association https://www.asro/
• Other guests suggested by ASFANU: Municipalities potentially interested in joining the european family network
• Municipalities from Creixell (Spain), Gdynia (Poland) and Alghero (Italy). After the Conference:
• 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM: City walk and visit of family-focused activities; open-air disco
• 8:30 PM: Traditional dinner offered by the City Hall with artistic program (at the hotel where guests are accommodated)

Sunday, June 1 Family Day

• 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM: ASFANU Stand (TBC)
• 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Flashmob – synchronized dance world record attempt
• Evening: Concert

ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES FROM 30 MAY TO 1ST JUNE

On the International Children’s Day, Bacău becomes the capital of joy! Between May 30 – June 1, 2025, we invite you to the Children and Family Festival – Better Future Festival, a spectacular event dedicated to the little ones and families!

What’s next:

• Creative workshops, performances and live concerts for children
• Interactive games, mascots,
• Specially designed areas for educational and recreational activities

All activities are free and thought to bring smiles, color and positive energy to the hearts of children!

We are waiting for you in large numbers, with a good mood and a mood to play! Let’s celebrate childhood together, in a great style, in Bacău!

Friday, May 30, 2025 – in the Passage of the Revolution

“Talented Child, Child at the Palace 2025” light music, modern dance, theater, English culture and

civilization, popular music. Karting and bicycle circuit, street in front of the Administrative Palace Friday, May 30, 2025 – in the Tricolorului Square on the stage at the Culture House

14:00 – 21:00 Performance on stage, kids from local clubs, dance academies.

DJ Adrian Șaguna

Saturday, May 31, between 10:00 – 13:00 Cross Olympic. Athletics competition for age groups 13:00 – 19:00 learning routes for cyclists on Nicolae Bălcescu street – Mară esti

Workshops and street demonstrations – in the Tricolorului Square and on the way to Mară ereesti;

► Workshops of: face-painting, molded balloons, colored balloons, painting, drawing, etc.

► Street theater, characters on feet, characters in costumes, children’s animators, etc.

► SPORTS ZONE

► 5 Inflatable castles for kids, free access 10-19;

DRUMMERS BARBAROSA SAMBA GROUP – super street concert dedicated to children Saturday, May 31, 2025 – on the stage at the Culture House

10am – 6pm Performance on stage, kids from local clubs, dance academies, etc. Percussion ensemble Spirit

DRUMMERS BARBAROSA SAMBA GROUP

Lary (artist local)