The Neighbor’s Day has a simple goal: to change behaviors, to change the way we see each other. For the organizing association, “Paris d’Amis,” it’s by fostering a spirit of conviviality that we create social bonds which can lead to supportive interactions. A tragic event was the catalyst for this event: the discovery of the body of an elderly lady, who had died in her home more than two months earlier, unnoticed by her neighbors… Atanase Perifan, traumatized by this grim reality, then decided to fight against the thickness of the walls of houses and buildings which hide distresses that are unsuspected.
Thus was born the Fête des Voisins (Neighbor’s Day), which enjoys ever-growing success. The favorite motto of Atanase PERIFAN is “everyone is responsible for everyone else!”, convinced that in addition to institutional or family solidarity, the neighbor should be a protagonist in fostering solidarity. The experiences he has led for 17 years with the association “Paris d’Amis” show that, faced with the accelerating social decline, neighbors can be a buffer or a social parachute.
Today, Neighbor’s Day is a prime example, an event that’s simple to organize, requiring no special skills: no degree is required, just a bit of generosity and enthusiasm. For the seventh edition, the organizers expect six million participants.
But how can you participate?
The organization is very light. It only takes a bit of organizational spirit and a desire to share a moment of simplicity, proximity, and solidarity with your neighbors.
– Identify a location, a courtyard or a building lobby, the garden of a house, or the sidewalk of a street if no other spaces are available; a place that is easy to access and ideal for gathering at several buildings or houses.
– Communicate to notify your neighbors. For this, you need to get the poster and the invitations:
from the nearest Monoprix, in town halls (the Nice city hall is a partner) or in the HLM agencies participating in the operation, in FNAIM agencies, or by downloading them from the website www.immeublesenfete.com.
– Place a poster in the lobby of the building with your name, the time, and the place of the gathering, generally between 7 PM and 10 PM, then think about slipping the invitations into mailboxes or under doormats.
– Invest a bit of yourself to raise awareness and gather friends, neighbors, your building’s caretaker, your mayor, your condo board…
On Tuesday, May 30, 2006, everyone brings something to contribute (pizza, cider, etc.), but there are always one or two gourmet cooks ready to share their specialties. An opportunity to discover dishes from different backgrounds.
In big cities like Nice, with the daily routine of “commute, work, sleep,” conviviality among neighbors tends to get lost. This festivity provides an opportunity to reverse the trend and it is always nice to talk about everything and nothing around a good glass of cheer. Connections are made by discussing common interests.
So long live the neighbors!
Website where you can download posters and flyers: https://www.immeublesenfete.com/index.php4?coe_i_id=41
