The Changing Cities Movement

Changing Cities is the independent movement for a better city! We use creativity to fight passionately for sustainable mobility and a better quality of life for all. We want a city that is open to all residents for play, work, sport, and creative activities. We want a city, which has clean air to breathe and is not clogged up with cars: in this city everyone, including children and seniors, can enjoy safe, fast, and barrier-free mobility on foot and by bike.

How can we make this happen?

Changing Cities e.V. is an organisation that promotes the transport transition from below with its campaigns and projects in Berlin and nationwide. We are a well-connected, interdisciplinary team. Politically independent and with positive energy, we dare to ask uncomfortable questions. Our goal is to give civil society a clear voice, to bring different societal actors together and to enable them to have greater political influence. Changing Cities e.V. is the platform for everyone who believes in a people-friendly city and wants to fight for it.  

It started with a referendum

In 2015 Changing Cities successfully organised the cycling referendum in Berlin (the Berliner Volksentscheid Fahrrad). With our work, we managed to find support among a majority of Berliners for the concept of the transport transition – within just a few months. Germany’s first mobility law bears the signature of Changing Cities e.V. and will change Berlin significantly over the coming years. 600 million euros are to be invested in the expansion of the cycling infrastructure and the promotion of cycling by 2030 (51 million euros each year). Today, based on the model of the Berliner Volksentscheid Fahrrad, over 50 other similar cycling referendums are being initiated across Germany.

This is a great success and shows that change is possible – if we are committed to it.

We are many … and we keep growing

5

board members
(as of 6/2022)

9

full members
(as of 6/2022)

813

sponsoring members
(as of 6/2022)

856

volunteers
(as of 6/2022)

23

projects in Berlin
(as of 6/2022)

15

nationwide projects
(as of 6/2022)

Our initiatives in Berlin

Changing Cities thrives on the participation of the citizens who are active in our various projects for a more livable city. In each of Berlin’s 12 districts there is a bicycle-friendly group, Fahrradfreundliches Neukölln or Fahrradfreundliches Pankow for example, that works to make the transport transition happen at a local level. But we also promote various initiatives beyond cycling, and integrate them into our network.

Our nationwide initiatives

Inspired by the cycling referendum in Berlin, people in towns and cities across Germany have got together in local groups to improve the situation for cyclists where they live, and have initiated referendums. Changing Cities offers these and other projects for liveable cities a place to come together and helps them to organise and maximise their effectiveness. There are already 53 cycling referendums in Germany. Together they have submitted 1 million signatures (as of June 2022).

Get involved

What are you waiting for?! Changing Cities is carried out by volunteers, and we try to follow the basic principle that if someone has an idea, they will be supported. You are welcome to come to us with or without an idea, all that matters is the goal – to make Berlin and other cities more livable. It’s always easier to do these things with other people than alone.

We need people with all different kinds of experience, which means that you will have a skill that’s needed and you will be welcome. There’s something for everyone to get involved in. If you want to develop a new skill, then this will be the place to try it out. You will find many people to support you and you may suddenly find you are doing things that you never thought you were capable of.

We have different teams that are looking for support on a regular basis. In addition, new teams come together all the time. We are striving to be a diverse community, as the more diverse we become the more we reflect the reality of our cities.

Changing Cities’ Stadtwerkstatt (Workshop)

The Stadtwerkstatt is the place to have a look, to get to know new people and see what there is to do. This is where we develop new ideas, build teams, and design new campaigns. You’ll find the right partners for your ideas here, and start making things happen.

If you would like to take part, simply write an email to info@changing-cities.org. You are welcome to write in English and we will see how we can enable your participation in English.

Contact

Changing Cities e.V.
Oberlandstraße 26-35
12099 Berlin
info@changing-cities.org
+49 30 25781125