Communities are usually defined as an aggregation of people that share common traits. These can be nationality, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief system, geographical location, common interests, work sector etc. Regardless of the reason for the aggregation, we know that communities are important for humans, in fact they play a vital role in the well-being of human beings. As the popular saying goes, no person is an island to which we can also add that no person is a house without doors or windows, meaning that there is usually a way to connect with someone at some level. Given their importance, communities have the power and potential to bring people together and to act as tools of social inclusion for people that are usually marginalised.

In today’s world, the digital innovations and the challenges of globalisation have changed the fabric of society forever. It is becoming rarer and rarer for people to be in touch with their local communities and to create networks that are both local and offline. Often there is a gap, something that is missing. It is common to hear people say things like “we don’t talk with our neighbours anymore” and to lament isolation and loneliness as prevailing traits on today’s global society. There is a need for community spaces and activities that can help people connect and build networks in their local communities. This need is very present in big metropolis but it also very relevant for rural areas.