From the Editor
Will it grow or not? That is the major question of spring for those planting new seeds in the soil at this time of year. It is also the central question for authors or participants of any social project: Will it sprout? Will it grow? Will it bear fruit? Even when a project is grounded in evidence-based practices there is always an element of uncertainty.
This is particularly true for projects that involve activating people’s own potential, such as in territorial development. In such cases, planning can seem daunting — as we don't know in advance whether leaders will emerge or if people will heed the call to change. Yet, even under these circumstances, there is a role for technology, and a substantial body of successful experiences in “inspiring” the transfer of knowledge and development practices, not just between regions but across countries.
The spring edition of Positive Changes Journal is dedicated to analyzing the complex, multifaceted, and intriguing experiences gathered from implementing and evaluating territorial development programs. This issue also addresses another pressing item on the agenda: the sustainability reporting standard being developed in Russia. We will examine what the standard includes and what aspects need further refinement. Additionally, we will explore what constitutes a friendly city, how the index of cities’ communication solvency is calculated, what factors contribute to corporate well-being in NGOs, and the principles of the positive development concept for youth. Our guest for this issue is a unique entrepreneur from India, Sumita Ghose, who has developed a model of territorial development that has created jobs for more than 3,000 people.
All of this, traditionally, is aimed at fostering even more of these good “seeds” to sprout in a space filled with inspiration, knowledge, and belief in positive changes.
