Incubator Lab: December 2020 – December 2021 (online)
In-Person Impact Lab: May, 15 to 19, 2021 in Făgăraș and Sibiu, Romania
In-Person Follow-up Lab: November, 11 to 14, 2022 in Făgăraș, Romania

In a world where the population lives in local communities, we only rarely reflect on the role of these communities in global affairs. When we do, we most often focus on a few large cities, not on small towns and rural areas, although most of the world’s population lives in such places. Given the increasing democratisation of international relations, the overarching aim of the Făgăraș Lab was to explore the role of local communities in global leadership, partnership for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), addressing security and global challenges, and innovation in diplomacy.

In terms of impact, we saw the Global Diplomacy Lab (GDL) in Făgăraș contribute to a local region becoming more engaged globally and assuming more responsibilities towards achieving the SDGs, while being aware of the challenges that can negatively impact its own development and security. Based on the Făgăraș experience, the participants at the Lab reflected on how small urban and rural communities, including communities with high diasporas, can play a constructive role in leadership on global challenges, be they SDG-related, political, or security challenges.

The Lab brought together around 20 participants – GDL members and partners alongside representatives of the challenge holders and The Făgăraș Research Institute (FRI) hosting team. The activities of the Lab took place in the Făgăraș – Sibiu area and online. The follow-up Lab was kindly supported by the US State Department.

The Lab was comprised of three tracks, as follows:

1. The Făgăraș Municipality and the SDGs (with the Făgăraș Municipality as challenge holder);
2.  Community Foundations and the SDGs (with the Țara Făgărașului Community Foundation as challenge holder);
3. Social entrepreneurship and the SDGs (with Ashoka Romania as challenge holder).

Lab Host Stefan Cibian expressed his special thanks to everyone who helped organise, facilitate and implement the Lab.