#UB4friends: The University of Bucharest Responds #Present to the 2023 Edition of the “4/4 For Friends” Project Initiated by the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Councils for International Education

Between April 3-10, 2023, the University of Bucharest will organize, as part of the “4/4 for friends” project initiated by the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Councils for International Education, a series of activities that aim to recognize the involvement of volunteers for the benefit of their fellows.

Run under the motto #UB4friends and coordinated by lect. Anca Anton, PhD, teaching staff at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences (FJSC) of the University of Bucharest, the events will bring students into the middle of the community, whether we are talking about parks, schools, community centers or even the faculties of the University of Bucharest.

Thus, inspired by the thoughts of the remarkable American activist Martin Luther King Jr., “the most pressing and important question of life is: what do you do for others?”, the University of Bucharest dedicates the period 3-10 April 2023 to community and good actions.

Spread Positivity – Matei Cordoneanu, Riana Cutaș, Eduard Dumitru, Anastasia Echimescu, Mihnea Golea (Knot team)
On Wednesday, April 5, between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in Cișmigiu Park and on Thursday, April 6, between 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in Piața Romană, students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences of UB will make posters with positive, motivational, energetic messages, in the hope that a simple gesture will transform the day of those who will see them into a better one.

The team will actively promote the project both on social media and among young people, students and passers-by who will interact with the students during the activity.

Together for nature! – Albu Alexandra, Aldea Cristiana, Antoche Iulia, Cernea Alexandra, Ionescu Andreea
Thursday, April 6, between 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., to raise awareness on the need to engage in environmental activities and maintain cleanliness in frequently visited green areas as part of a healthy life in a clean green milieu, a team of five students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences will collect the trash thrown in the green zone.The activity will be promoted by creating flyers, which will contain general information on the project such as location, date and time, but also a brief description of the action. Flyers will be distributed by the project team in the Izvor Park, to attract volunteers interested in participating in the activity (max. 100 people). Volunteers will receive disposable gloves and cleaning bags.

Volunteering for gender equality – Andreea Frîncu, Ionuț Cojocaru, Karina Floroiu, Maria Grafu, Diana Gorea (Patrol 1 team)
On Thursday, April 6, between 14:00 and 15:30, and Friday, April 7, between 12:00 and 13:30, five students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences will organize information sessions and educational activities on the topic of gender equality and combating the stereotypes that circulate in society linked to this topic. The aim of the project is to train students in the hope of reducing gender disparities and stigmatization by stimulating a critical and open dialogue with the participants.Because school has a considerable importance in the development of the attitudes and behavior patterns of adolescents in relation to gender roles, patterns that they will later reproduce, the beneficiaries of the project will be 15 students aged approximately 14 years from the “Little Genius” school.

Fairies Help, volunteering to prevent school dropouts – Dima Cristina, Duțu Nicole, Grigoraș Nicola, Ilie Ana (WINGS team)
On Wednesday, April 5, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., a team of four students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences will carry out volunteer activities at the “Ana si Copiii” Community Center in Fundulea, Călărași county.The four volunteers will organize various educational, recreational and socializing activities for the children at the center to support the association’s idea of ​​preventing school dropouts, while helping the children to discover their passions. The volunteers aim for the activity to have a positive impact on the children, develop their creativity and give them the opportunity to express themselves freely.

Volunteering at the Center “St. Marcellin Champagnat” – Barbu Andreea, Băeții Alexandra, Banu Alexia, Brișcă Cosmina and Anghelescu Alexandra (Compassion Club team)
On Sunday, April 9, between 1:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m., a team of five students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences will carry out volunteer activities for the “St. Marcellin Champagnat”.The activity is primarily aimed at collecting funds and materials to provide supplies to the children at the center. Later, on April 9, 2023, the volunteers will spend a few hours with the children from the center, carrying out educational and recreational activities. Also, the five volunteers will present to the older ones some aspects related to the faculty they attend, to encourage interest in education and increase children’s enthusiasm for it, showing that it can also be fun.

Interactive volunteering at the “Pinocchio” Center – Dezideratu Maria, Dumbrăveanu Bianca, Eftimie Miruna, Gașpar Carla (CBMM team)
On Monday, April 3, between 12:00 and 16:00, four students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences will carry out an interactive volunteer activity with the children from the “Pinocchio” center.Thus, the volunteers will go to the center and play with the children, help them with their homework and perform certain tasks in support of the center’s staff. This activity is carried out, on the one hand, to help and support the staff working at the center and, on the other hand, to bring smiles on the children’s faces.

ZIP/Smile in the Envelope – Maria-Cristina Brîndușa, Angi-Maria Bîrlea, Cătălin-Gabriel Burnel, Sebastian-Francesco Bănicioiu (ZIP team)
ZIP (Smile in an Envelope) is a project that will take place in 3 areas of Bucharest: University Square, King Mihai I Park and Campus Leu, between 14:00 and 16:00, on April 3, 5 and 6.The activity will be carried out by four volunteers, students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, and the aim of this project is to bring a smile on people’s faces by distributing envelopes with positive and motivational messages, in the hope that these messages will help them have a better day, to be kinder and more understanding to those around them. The results of the activity will later be promoted online, on various platforms, to multiply the well-being.

“Make it count” mystery box – Banica Denisa Maria, Buroiu Ameli, Ciobotaru Melisa Roxana, Radoi Antonia Georgiana (Mistery team)
“Make it count” mystery box is an activity of a team of four students at the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, which will take place on April 6, between 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. in the Leu Student Campus.People who want to participate in the activity will bring in a box 2 objects that they no longer use and that they think could be useful or would make another person’s day better. Whoever brings such a mystery box will receive another one in exchange. Through this activity the team aims to bring a smile on the faces of the participants, to show that small gestures always count and to encourage the exchange of objects as an alternative to throwing them away.More details on “4/4 for Friends” project, initiated by the Embassy of the United States of America and the American Councils for International Education, can be found here.More details on the volunteering activities proposed by the University of Bucharest within the “4/4 for friends” project can be found here.