Human connection is one of the strongest antidotes to loneliness. Yet in an increasingly digital and individualistic world, we need spaces where genuine connection flourishes – gathering places beyond home and workplace. Munich is now creating exactly those spaces. Through "Zusammen.Halt" (Together.Held), global family-owned company Mars – maker of iconic brands like Snickers and Twix – is strengthening social cohesion and bringing people closer together. The Mars Wrigley Foundation is supporting two Munich-based initiatives with a combined $100,000 investment: Über den Tellerrand kochen München e. V. (Cooking Beyond Borders Munich) in Sendling and FLUX at the Pinakothek der Moderne.

FLUX launched in summer 2025 as an open gathering space in the outdoor area of the Pinakothek der Moderne – welcoming people of all backgrounds and walks of life, around the clock and free to all. British designer Morag Myerscough's vibrant installation merges art, architecture, nature, and community into a single vision: a place to pause, connect, and co-create, transforming public space into a stage for human encounter. The early results speak volumes: an estimated 150,000 visitors annually – from local residents and students to professionals, families, and art district tourists. With support from the Mars Wrigley Foundation, FLUX is now expanding its impact. Spring 2026 will bring a new irrigation system designed to nurture the landscape. Beyond aesthetics, this greenery tackles climate challenges – providing shade on hot days, cooling the air, and inviting people to linger. A barrier-free public drinking fountain will complement the vision: FLUX as a genuinely inclusive space, free from commercial obligation. Here, visitors refresh themselves, strike up conversations, find quiet moments – all within a model that harmonizes ecological stewardship, social openness, and shared experience. "We're proud to have created, alongside our four museums and artist Morag Myerscough, a cultural destination that welcomes everyone and fosters connection," says Dr. Markus Michalke, Chairman of the Pinakothek der Moderne Foundation Board. "FLUX is a freely accessible meeting place – a sanctuary of peace and freedom that transcends generations and cultures. This barrier-free access exists only through the generosity of our partners, and we're thrilled the Mars Wrigley Foundation is among them."

Food brings people together – and that's exactly what the first supported project capitalizes on: Über den Tellerrand kochen München e.V. brings people with and without refugee or migration experience together at the table, free of charge. Through communal cooking, meaningful exchange emerges, encounters become tangible, and diversity becomes the norm. Since its founding in 2017, the association has championed social participation and intercultural community. Until now, the team has been active throughout Munich – hosting cooking evenings, language cafés, and neighborhood initiatives at various venues. Now, for the first time, a dedicated home for the community is taking shape in Munich-Sendling at Lindenschmitstraße 1: a kitchen hub with an open kitchen and large communal table – shaped by and for people who want to participate. Spanning approximately 100 square meters, the space will eventually accommodate up to 40 people. Beyond open cooking evenings, creative and intercultural activities are planned to foster conversation and collaborative action. The goal is to enable encounters with the lowest possible barriers to entry – through open formats that anyone can simply join. The new meeting space is slated to open in spring 2026 and will invite people with and without refugee and migration experience throughout the year to help shape this gathering place. "By supporting such meeting spaces, we create places where people can exchange ideas and experience community," says Carsten Simon, CEO of Mars Wrigley DACH. "Such places only emerge when we act together. Since we are deeply rooted in the Munich region, we are delighted that the Community Connection Grant will help bring people together and strengthen community where we live and work."

www.flux-munich.com

www.ueberdentellerrand.org

www.mars.de