Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: New Kiez projects celebrate great nomination!

Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: New Kiez projects celebrate great nomination!

As part of the “Mittendin! 2025/26” competition, six Kiez initiatives from Berlin were selected, which can now further develop their projects in the so-called concretization phase. The competition aims to find creative solutions for local challenges and at the same time revive the neighborhoods. By the end of May 2025, teams had the opportunity to submit ideas. A total of 47 contributions were received, from which the jury selected the nominated projects, which will receive a budget of up to 5,000 euros each.

The nominated projects also include two that come from the Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg district. District Mayor Clara Herrmann was pleased with this recognition and the variety of approaches. "Pool Potentials Prinzenbad-Kiez-Markt and Place of Encounter" and "Cultural Summer on Mehringplatz" are the focus, as they offer both creative and practical solutions to strengthen life in the neighborhood.

The nominated projects in detail

The first project, "Pool Potential Prinzenbad", is worn by the Genoa e.V. initiative. It aims to use the Berlin summer pool in the autumn and winter months by organizing neighborhood markets in the entrance area, which should take place in cooperation with local initiatives. So the pool potential is opened not only in the hot season, but also all year round for the community.

The second project, "Cultural Summer on Mehringplatz", comes from the cooperative southern Friedrichstadt. This project provides for a regular series of events on Mehringplatz, which aims to promote encounters between the residents and to revitalize public space with cultural and neighborhood offers.

evaluation criteria and outlook

The jury, consisting of experts and team members, took into account creative approaches, cooperative strategies and the visions of the initiatives when deciding. "Centers reloaded - creative minds wanted for Berlin!" is the motto of the competition, which is supported by the state of Berlin and the IHK Berlin as well as other partners. In December 2023, the jury will announce the most successful projects that can receive up to 20,000 euros in funding after further consultations as part of the implementation phase.

Berlin, with almost 4 million inhabitants from over 190 countries, faces numerous challenges, including housing shortages and loneliness. The Berlin Kiez summit is the aim of actively involving citizens in urban development and creating more opportunities for citizen participation. A central concern is the fairer development of the city, which is also supported by projects such as "in the middle! 2025/26" in order to make and address the needs of the local population.

For more information, interested parties can directly find the press release on [berlin.de] (https://www.berlin.de/ba-friedrichshain-kreuzberg/aktuelles/pressemaytungen/2025/Pressemage department 1578698.php) or the detailed reporting on Smart City Berlin. Discussions and strategies for urban development are also discussed on the platform KiezConnect, where different organizations work together to develop sustainable solutions for the city.