On January 26, Daniela L. Constantin, PhD, Fulbright Scholar at George Mason University (GMU) and Professor at the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, delivered a presentation titled “Bucharest City and Its Metropolitan Area in the Context of Global Competition: Lessons from the Greater Washington Metropolitan Area”. The event - part of the “Intergenerational Conversations: OLLI Members & Fulbright scholars” series – was hosted by The Reston Community Center at the Rose Gallery, Lake Anne, Reston and focused on responses to global trends which have affected Eastern European regions.

The presenter chose as a case study for scrutiny the Bucharest metropolitan area, conventionally incorporating Bucharest city and the surrounding Ilfov County. Lessons from the Washington Metropolitan Area were brought into discussion, especially in relation to the economic development strategy applied and its integration with land use planning and city-owned real property use, aiming to create prosperity and enhance regional and community resilience.

The event was graced with the presence of a panel of experts in the fields of architecture, urbanism and regional development moderated by Professor Roger Stough, Research Dean, George Mason School of Policy, Government and International Affairs. Robert E. Simon Jr. (born April 10, 1914), who is the founder of Reston, the first modern planned community in the United States, attended the event as special guest in the panel. Renowned architects Ralph Youngren and Jim Scheeler, also residents in Reston, joined the panel and presented insightful ideas. A warm “thank you” goes to Mrs. Jennifer Disano, Executive Director of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Mason (OLLI-Mason) and Mrs. Rita Rowand, Program Manager for Global Relations and Protocol and GMU Fulbright representative, who orchestrated the entire event.