4th Interregional meeting in Kranj, Slovenia
CITISYSTEM project held its fourth Interregional meeting in Kranj, Slovenia on November 4-6, 2024, bringing together partners and stakeholders from six countries to discuss good practices in community-level biobased circularity solutions.
The meeting started with Steering Group meeting on 4th of November at the premises of the first Zero waste hotel in the Gorenjska region of Slovenia – Ribno Alpine Hotel Bled. During the Steering group meeting, the general project matters as well as dissemination strategy were discussed.
On November 5th, the CITISYSTEM team continued with participation in the conference in Kranj, where the project participants and local stakeholders were welcomed by Janez Černe, vice mayor of City community Kranj and Katerina Medkova, Lead partner of the CITISYSTEM project. Greetings were followed by the moderated round table on the topic of “Biobased circular economy national framework”, with presentations from:
- Dr. Andrej Pristovnik, Ministry for the Environment of Slovenia, Climate and Energy
- Bojan Pahor, Expert Advisor at Saubermacher Slovenia
- Matjaž Bercon, Managing Director of Communal Company Kranj
- Borderless ecologists Jaka Kranjc and Katja Sreš, who presented good practices from Slovenia and moderated the round table.
The round table was followed by the presentations on current policy development situations in the CITISYSTEM project partners’ regions. Summary of the presentations can be accessed here: https://www.interregeurope.eu/sites/default/files/2025-02/CITISYSTEM_for%20Interreg_1.pdf
Afterwards, the Zero Waste Knowledge sharing workshop on community-level solutions for advancing the Circular economy with guest speakers from Finland and Belgium were presented. The Finnish case of Biowaste management in the city of Lahti was introduced by Kimmo Rinne, Development Manager, Salpakierto. The Belgian case of city of Mechelen titled “From circular strategy to a local bioeconomy practice” was presented by Loes Vandecasteele from the City of Mechelen.
Further on, the CITISYSTEM project participants worked in the groups to discuss good practices about actions of cities/region for inclusion of circularity in everyday life to create a circular community. Examples included household guideline books for Lahti residents, Integrated Recycling centers for Thessaloniki residents, shared economy events like flea markets among Kranj residents and composting experts for homeowners for Mechelen residents.
Afternoon continued with site visits moderated by Matjaž Berčon where partners and stakeholders had an opportunity to visit
- Re-use workshops and shops in centre of City Kranj (Vincenc Draksler Foundation)
- Listen to circularity solutions of Communal company Kranj – Circular Economy Park ZARTA at Komunala Kranj
- Re-use centre Zarica, Circular Economy Park ZARTA at Komunala Kranj (ZARTA - Future Centre of Circularity)
- Good practice of circularity in gastronomy in trademark Taste Radolca center presented by House Linhart in Radovljica village.
On November 6th, partners and stakeholders continued with the study visit firstly around lake of Bled and Lake Bled Tourist center, where the concept of green sustainable destination, Alpine pearls branding cooperation and selection of local brands with circular elements was presented by Tourism Bled. It was followed by visit of local shop “Na Kilo” without use of packaging. Shop is owned by Agriculture and forestry association Bled and is operating in former gasoline station. The CITISYSTEM team continued the field visits with Visit of Astoria “school hotel” at Higher Vocational Institution for Hospitality, Wellness and Tourism Bled. Educational center presented its good practices of teaching circularity in gastronomy and circularity in practice. The study visit was finished by presentation of circular gastronomic recipes and tasting in Gorje by owner Mateja Reš, who is operating the Garden of Tastes (“Vrt okusov”), which acts as sustainable educational farm.
