'''UN Block by Block''' is a [[Charitable organization|charitable]] [[initiative]] founded as a partnership between ''[[Minecraft]]'' developer [[Mojang Studios|Mojang]] and the [[United Nations]] which aims to encourage young people to get involved in [[Urban renewal|urban regeneration]].<ref>{{Citecite news |last=Rosenberg |first=Tina |date=2019-10-15 |title=Opinion {{!}} Building for Real With Digital Blocks (Published 2019) |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/15/opinion/building-digital-blocks-Lego.html |access-date=2020-12-19 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> The scheme uses ''Minecraft'' to allow children to rebuild and reimagine their hometowns.<ref>{{Citecite magazine web|date=2012-09-06 |title=Minecraft dev announces 'Block by Block' collaboration with UN |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/business-news/pc/minecraft-dev-announces-block-by-block-collaboration-with-un/ |access-date=2020-12-19 |websitemagazine=MCV/DEVELOP |language=en-GB}}</ref>
The program began in [[Sweden]], where ''Minecraft'' was first created, but has since expanded to many other countries.<ref>{{Citecite web |date=2012-09-05 |title=Minecraft is rebuilding urban areas in the real world, one block at a time |url=https://venturebeat.com/2012/09/05/block-by-block/ |access-date=2020-12-19 |website=VentureBeat |language=en-US}}</ref> Mojang acts as the primary financial sponsor for the program.<ref>{{Citecite web |title=UN Block by Block project uses Minecraft; lets youth design improvements for their neighbourhood |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/minecraft/un-block-block-project-uses-minecraft-lets-youth-design-improvements-their-neighbourhood |access-date=2020-12-19 |website=PCGamesN |date=5 September 2012 |language=en-GB}}</ref> The project is part of the [[United Nations Human Settlements Programme|UN Habitat]]'s [[Sustainable Urban Development Network]].<ref>{{Citecite web |last=Senior |first=Tom |date=2012-09-05 |title=Minecraft UN Block By Block project to help young people redesign their neighbourhoods |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/minecraft-un-block-by-block-project-to-help-young-people-redesign-their-neighbourhoods/ |access-date=2020-12-19 |website=PC Gamer |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Citecite web |last=emilygera |date=2014-04-22 |title=Children are using Minecraft to redesign the real world |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/4/22/5639212/minecraft-real-world-architecture-block-by-block |access-date=2020-12-19 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref>
The program follows in the footsteps of Mina Kvarter, a similar Swedish initiative that used ''Minecraft'' to modernise apartment complexes.<ref>{{Citecite magazine web|date=2012-09-07 |title=UN to use Minecraft for urban development |url=https://www.mcvuk.com/development-news/un-to-use-minecraft-for-urban-development/ |access-date=2020-12-19 |websitemagazine=MCV/DEVELOP |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Citecite web |last=Crecente |first=Brian |date=2014-04-22 |title=How Minecraft is helping the United Nations improve the world |url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/4/22/5641044/minecraft-block-by-block-united-nations-project |access-date=2020-12-19 |website=Polygon |language=en}}</ref>
== History ==
In September 2012, Mojang began the ''[[UN Block Byby Block|Block By Block]]'' project in cooperation with [[UN Habitat]] to create real-world environments in ''Minecraft''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Eördögh |first=Fruzsina |date=6 September 2012 |title=Minecraft Partners With United Nations For Urban Planning |url=http://readwrite.com/2012/09/06/minecraft-partners-with-united-nations-for-urban-planning |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121124095401/http://readwrite.com/2012/09/06/minecraft-partners-with-united-nations-for-urban-planning |archive-date=24 November 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=21 November 2012 |website=[[ReadWrite]] |publisher=[[SAY Media]]}}</ref> The project allows young people who live in those environments to participate in designing the changes they would like to see. Using ''Minecraft'', the community has helped reconstruct the areas of concern, and citizens are invited to enter the ''Minecraft'' servers and modify their own neighborhood. Carl Manneh, Mojang's managing director, called the game "the perfect tool to facilitate this process", adding "The three-year partnership will support UN-Habitat's [[The Sustainable Urban Development Network (SUD-Net)|Sustainable Urban Development Network]] to upgrade 300 public spaces by 2016." Mojang signed ''Minecraft'' building community, ''FyreUK'', to help render the environments into ''Minecraft''. The first pilot project began in [[Kibera]], one of [[Nairobi]]'s informal settlements, and is in the planning phase. The ''Block Byby Block'' project is based on an earlier initiative started in October 2011, ''Mina Kvarter'' (My Block), which gave young people in Swedish communities a tool to visualize how they wanted to change their part of town. According to Manneh, the project was a helpful way to visualize urban planning ideas without necessarily having a training in architecture. The ideas presented by the citizens were a template for political decisions.<ref name="blockbyblock">{{cite web |last=Senior |first=Tom |date=5 September 2012 |title=Minecraft UN Block By Block project to help young people redesign their neighbourhoods |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/05/minecraft-un-block-by-block-project-to-help-young-people-redesign-their-neighbourhoods/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120907235734/http://www.pcgamer.com/2012/09/05/minecraft-un-block-by-block-project-to-help-young-people-redesign-their-neighbourhoods/ |archive-date=7 September 2012 |accessdateaccess-date=5 September 2012 |publisher=[[Future plc]] |magazine=[[PC Gamer]]}}</ref>
