The Green Party has welcomed the launch of the New European Bauhaus by the European Commission and said it is an opportunity to place inclusion and sustainability at the heart of the European Green Deal.Last September European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, announced the new European Bauhaus in her state of the union address. It is a project using art, culture, science and technology to provide solutions to European challenges in the area of sustainability and design. Today the first phase launched in Brussels. It consists of a website where people such as artists, architects and scientists can contribute and share ideas on how to create a future for Europe that is sustainable, inclusive and beautiful.Subsequently, the European Commission will consider these ideas and launch calls for proposals under the next Multiannual Framework to finance the New European Bauhaus movement. The intention is that the EU will foster the spirit of designers, architects and artists to develop creative solutions to European challenges.Ciarán Cuffe Green MEP for Dublin said, “The New European Bauhaus has the potential to find innovative solutions to the issues of sustainability and accessibility. All around we see problems that can benefit from a European approach. These range from using Universal Design principles to make our cities easier to get around for persons with disabilities, to renovating buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. At a smaller scale, the circular economy can create new products that are easier to re-use, recycle and repair.“This project has the potential to bring people together and find sustainable solutions to how we live that can be funded under the European Green Deal. We are counting on as many artists, architects, builders, scientists, engineers, and creators to get involved and shape the movement from the bottom up. A modern design zeitgeist for Europe can reflect our green progressive values. As an architect and urban designer, I’m excited to see how we can encourage and inspire a new European movement that will blend energy efficiency into the style of our buildings.”“However, it is crucial that any solutions are relevant to people in their everyday lives, and need to be grounded in the day-to-day problems we tackle and the solutions that are proposed. I hope that this initiative can tackle challenges such as affordable housing and energy poverty that are common to many European cities.”“It is crucial that we reflect the needs of today’s world and ensure the views of women and minorities are to the fore in what we do. A century ago, the first iteration of the Bauhaus gave birth to the Modern movement in architecture, planning and design. Today we can use the same creative spirit to find the solution to today’s challenges.” More information on the new Bauhaus conversation can be found by following this link https://europa.eu/new-european-bauhaus/index_en