[Marta Mišlov]

Tourist Board Novigrad Sea Area is a destination management organisation representing the municipalities of Novigrad, Posedarje and Poličnik in Zadar County, Croatia. We work directly with the three local authorities and closely cooperate with local associations, producers, tourism stakeholders and residents.

For Interreg Euro-MED Call 8 – Green Living Areas, we are interested in developing a project concept focused on small-scale climate-resilient green public spaces in rural and coastal Mediterranean communities. The concept would combine three complementary elements into one integrated approach: green community oases, a sensory garden and a heritage garden.

The idea is to revitalise selected public spaces through nature-based solutions and community-oriented design, including native and drought-resistant Mediterranean plants, shaded resting areas, accessible walking paths, aromatic and sensory planting, small-scale rainwater harvesting, and elements supporting biodiversity and outdoor use. In addition, the heritage dimension would include the preservation and presentation of local plant varieties, traditional knowledge, and community memory related to cultivation and the local landscape.

These spaces would serve both residents and visitors, with a particular focus on children, older people and intergenerational use. They could also host small educational and community activities such as planting workshops, awareness-raising events and local engagement actions.
We are interested in joining a consortium as a pilot and recipient territory where a common project methodology can be adapted and tested in real local conditions. Together with our municipalities, we can provide a pilot location and support local implementation, stakeholder and community engagement, monitoring and feedback.

[aleksadra pejovic]

Thank you for sharing your concept. We see a strong potential for cooperation and would be interested in joining the consortium as a pilot territory from Montenegro.

Herceg Novi could propose a concrete pilot where we aim to develop an inclusive sensory garden as a small-scale climate-resilient green space.

The pilot would apply and test the project’s common methodology through native and drought-resistant Mediterranean planting, sensory and aromatic elements, shaded areas, biodiversity features, accessible paths and small-scale water-management solutions.

Its EU relevance would be particularly strong as a demonstration and replication site, showing how the same nature-based and community-oriented approach can be adapted to the specific social, climatic and spatial conditions of a Mediterranean coastal community
Herceg Novi Municipality can support local implementation, stakeholder and community engagement, monitoring and dissemination of results.

We would be pleased to discuss how this pilot could be integrated into your wider project concept and contribute to the partnership’s transnational learning and replication objectives.

Best regards,
Aleksandra Pejović
Project administrator
Municipality of Herceg Novi
e mail:medjunarodna.saradnja@hercegnovi.me

[Valentina Formica]

Good morning Marta,
Thank you for sharing your presentation and experience. I’m writing on behalf of the University of Catania, specifically the research group on horticultural crops and aromatic plants. Our working group focuses on native plants, Mediterranean ecotypes, and climate. We have experience in selecting endemic species under climate constraints typical of Mediterranean areas, such as drought and salinity stress. Over the last 20 years, we have participated in various ministerial and regional projects to enhance and protect biodiversity. Green areas in urban spaces are crucial for supporting well-being and reducing pollution from urbanization; for this reason, we have experience project-managing gardens and green living areas.

We are interested in joining a proposal as a scientific partner to study several species under current environmental conditions. If you already have an idea that fits well with our experience, we would be pleased to join you in building the proposal.

Best regards,
Valentina Formica
University of Catania

e-mail: valentina.formica@phd.unict.it

[Katarina Polajnar Horvat]

Dear Aleksandra,

we find the concept very interesting and see good potential for cooperation. From our side, ZRC SAZU could potentially contribute to the consortium as a research partner, particularly in the fields of participatory approaches, community engagement, assessment of public spaces, nature-based solutions, wellbeing, and the development and evaluation of locally adapted interventions.

We are currently implementing the research project BLUE – The Role of Urban Blue Spaces in Improving Human and Environmental Well-being, which explores how blue public spaces can contribute to wellbeing, restoration, social interaction and environmental quality. The project combines spatial analysis, observation, surveys, stakeholder consultations and participatory approaches, and develops proposals for nature-based solutions and social interventions at selected pilot locations.

Our team also has experience from several previous national and international projects addressing environmental governance, biodiversity, wetlands, protected areas, stakeholder participation and sustainable territorial development: https://giam.zrc-sazu.si/en/search_content?content_type%5Bprojekt%5D=projekt

In addition, I am currently leading the Interreg Danube Region project TRANSDINARICA2, which involves extensive cooperation with municipalities, tourism organisations, local stakeholders and communities across several countries. Through this and other projects, we have gained substantial experience with participatory processes, stakeholder engagement, transnational cooperation and formal cooperation agreements with local and regional actors.

Based on this experience, we could potentially contribute to the development of a common research and methodological framework, participatory activities, stakeholder involvement, monitoring and evaluation of pilot interventions, as well as to the transferability of results between different Mediterranean territories.

Your proposed combination of green community oases, sensory gardens and heritage gardens seems particularly relevant from the perspective of wellbeing, inclusive public-space design, community participation and the relationship between people, place and nature.

We would therefore be interested in discussing the project concept further and exploring what role ZRC SAZU could have within the consortium.

Best regards,

Katarina Polajnar Horvat, PhD
ZRC SAZU – Anton Melik Geographical Institute
katarina.polajnar@zrc-sazu.si

[Joëlle VILLEGAS]

Dear Marta,

Your proposal for Interreg Euro-MED Call 8 – Green Living Areas particularly caught my attention, as it closely connects with the work we are carrying out in Corsica through our association, A Bulabuledda.

For several years, we have been working with rural municipalities and schools on educational gardens, village greening, Mediterranean and endemic plants, biodiversity, healthy and sustainable food, and the transmission of knowledge related to nature and the living world.

The intergenerational dimension is also an important part of our approach. We bring together children, older people and local residents through gardens, plants, food, biodiversity and the transmission of traditional knowledge.

Your concept combining community green oases, a sensory garden and a heritage garden therefore has strong complementarities with our experience in Corsica.

We would be very interested in discussing a possible cooperation between Croatia and Corsica and exploring how our territories and expertise could complement each other within Interreg Euro-MED Call 8.

We would be very pleased to exchange with you and explore this opportunity together.

Kind regards,

Joëlle Villegas
A Bulabuledda Association

[Martina Kmet]

Dear Marta,

thank you for sharing this very interesting concept. We see strong potential for Agroeduka to contribute to the proposed Green Living Areas project, particularly by bringing an applied horticultural and long-term green-space management perspective to the consortium.

Agroeduka is a small specialised Croatian non-profit association founded by two agronomists, focused on professional horticultural advisory services, practical plant management and education.

Considering the expertise already expressed by potential partners in this discussion, we believe Agroeduka could contribute a complementary role focused on translating project concepts and scientific recommendations into practical, sustainable horticultural management.

Our expertise includes field-based plant assessment and diagnostics, sustainable management of ornamental and Mediterranean plants, water-efficient irrigation and nutrient management, climate-resilient planting practices, biodiversity-oriented horticulture and practical education.

Within the proposed pilot activities, we could contribute to the development and testing of practical horticultural protocols for the establishment and long-term maintenance of green community oases, sensory and heritage gardens. This could include water and nutrient management, monitoring plant performance under real field conditions, identifying and addressing plant-management problems, and developing practical maintenance guidance adapted to municipalities and other green-space managers.

We could also contribute to knowledge transfer by turning project results into practical guidelines, demonstration activities and training that can support municipalities, green-space managers and local communities beyond the lifetime of the project.

We believe this applied horticultural perspective could complement the scientific, participatory and territorial expertise already represented in the emerging partnership, while helping ensure that pilot green spaces remain functional, resilient and manageable in the long term.

We would be very interested in exploring a possible role for Agroeduka within the consortium and contributing to the further development of the project concept.

Kind regards,
Martina Kmet
Agroeduka
Croatia
agroeduka@gmail.com

[Ινστιτούτο Απασχόλησης]

Thank you for sharing your concept. We see strong potential for cooperation and would be interested in contributing to the consortium from Greece.

IANAP – Institute of Employment and Development is a non-profit Lifelong Learning Centre with experience in European cooperation projects, adult education and VET, capacity building, non-formal learning and stakeholder and community engagement.

We see particular complementarity with the educational and community dimension of your concept. IANAP could contribute to the development and testing of a common capacity-building and community-engagement methodology, including educational activities around climate-resilient green spaces, biodiversity and local environmental awareness, as well as participatory and intergenerational activities involving residents and local stakeholders.

We could also contribute to the development of transferable training materials and the Euro-MED Academy training activities, supporting the replication and transfer of the tested approaches across participating territories.

We would be pleased to discuss how IANAP’s expertise could complement the pilot territories and wider partnership.

Best regards,
Athanasia Topalidou
EU Projects Coordinator
IANAP – Institute of Employment and Development, Greece euprograms@ianap.gr

[Emanuele Salmin]

We would also like to express the interest of the Municipality of Mantua (Italy) in joining the partnership being developed for Interreg Euro-MED Call 8 Green Living Areas.

The Municipality of Mantua has extensive experience in European projects and transnational cooperation, including projects focused on urban regeneration, sustainability, climate adaptation and nature-based solutions. For example, Mantua has participated in the Horizon 2020 Urban GreenUP project, developing and applying approaches for urban renaturalisation and nature-based solutions, and is currently involved in several European initiatives related to sustainable urban development. Our dedicated Project Development and Fundraising Office also works actively on the preparation and management of European projects and on European networking and exchange of good practices.

We see a particularly strong connection between the proposed project and our local context because Mantua already has several urban community gardens and cultivated green spaces that are actively used by local residents. We would be interested not simply in creating a new pilot from scratch, but in using the project to improve, strengthen and potentially expand these existing spaces, introducing new solutions related to biodiversity, climate resilience, water management, accessibility, community participation and environmental education.
This could provide a very concrete pilot experience for the consortium: starting from existing community gardens and testing how they can evolve into more multifunctional green community spaces, combining food production, social interaction, biodiversity, wellbeing and climate adaptation.

Mantua has a particularly interesting territorial setting for this purpose. The historic city is closely connected to the Mincio River and is surrounded by three interconnected lakes, which form a distinctive blue-green system around the urban area. The city therefore has a strong relationship between its historic urban fabric, water, peri-urban landscapes and natural areas. The Municipality is also already working on climate adaptation, urban greenery and nature-based solutions, including interventions around the lakes and activities aimed at increasing citizens’ awareness and involvement in climate-related issues. We believe that the Mantua pilot could complement the experiences already emerging in the partnership, bringing an Italian urban and peri-urban perspective and, in particular, the opportunity to work on existing community gardens and transform them into more resilient, inclusive and multifunctional green spaces.

We would therefore be very interested in discussing how Mantua could contribute to the consortium, both as a pilot territory and as a partner bringing experience in European project management, stakeholder engagement and urban sustainability.

We would be pleased to exchange further and explore possible synergies with the other partners.

Best regards,
Emanuele Salmin
Eu project coordinators
Municipality of Mantuva e-mail progetti@comune.mantova.it

[Anna Marchenko]

Could you please share your email address so I can send you our signed Partner Profile? Thank you

[Iliana Georgieva]

Dear Marta,
We reviewed your project concept for revitalizing public spaces across Novigrad, Posedarje, and Poličnik through nature-based solutions—integrating green community oases, sensory gardens, rainwater harvesting, and traditional Mediterranean heritage. It is a compelling and timely initiative that perfectly fits the Call 8 criteria for 24-month Test Projects under the Promoting Green Living Areas mission.
Your strong local governance setup, backed by three municipalities and active community stakeholders, provides an ideal pilot and recipient territory. At GIITT, we bring complementary expertise in innovation management, technical framework design, project coordination, and transnational transferability.
We think that GIITT can add value to your partnership and consortium in several ways.
https://giitt.org/
If you are interested you can contact us: i.georgieva@giitt.org.

[Katarina CICVARIC]

Dear Marta,

Thank you for sharing your concept – the combination of community green oases, sensory and heritage gardens fits the Green Living Areas mission very well.

Profil Klett is a Croatian educational publisher and EdTech company (KLETT Group) with 20+ years of experience in developing digital learning content for schools and, since 2022, in preparing and implementing EU projects with 100+ partners across Europe. We would be interested in joining as a partner bringing the digital and inclusive layer of the project, complementing the scientific, horticultural and training expertise already expressed in this thread:

– accessible digital content for the sensory garden, building on our experience with learners with special educational needs (project Atollo);
– a digital heritage garden (local plant varieties, traditional knowledge, community memory) presented through QR/interactive formats;
– ready-to-use digital teaching materials for schools and teachers linked to the pilot spaces;
– a digital replication toolkit to support transfer of the common methodology.

We can work closely with IANAP and other partners on training and capacity building, so our roles stay complementary.

Two points for the next discussion: who will act as Lead Partner (public body required), and, if the project is positioned under wellbeing and health in living areas, the ToR requires a partner with health competences.

If this works for you, we can discuss about it.. Please let us know , you can contact me: katarina.cicvaric@profil-klett.hr

Kind regards,

[Emanuele Salmin]

Dear Anna,
This is our official email address progetti@comune.mantova.it. We are fully available to collaborate on this project.
Kind regards,
Emanuele Salmin

[ersilia incelli]

Dear Marta,
we would be very interested in creating a pilot study alongside yours, here in the region of Lazio Italy. Please contact us – we are an interdisciplinary research group at Sapienza Faculty of Economics.
ersilia Incelli
ersilia.incelli@uniroma1.it

[Ivan Saltaric]

Dear Marta,

thank you for sharing this concept. We believe there could be a strong fit with DURA – City of Dubrovnik Development Agency (Croatia), and we would be interested in exploring potential cooperation within the consortium.

DURA has extensive experience in Interreg projects related to climate resilience, sustainable urban development, stakeholder engagement, nature-based solutions, and territorial pilot implementation. Through our cooperation with the City of Dubrovnik and relevant local institutions, we can support the identification and coordination of a suitable pilot area and help translate project solutions into local practice and policy.

What we find particularly interesting in your concept is the combination of small-scale green public-space interventions, drought-resistant Mediterranean vegetation, shade, biodiversity, rainwater management, accessibility and community use.

Dubrovnik could offer a complementary pilot context compared with your rural and coastal municipalities: a compact and highly urbanised Mediterranean environment where heat pressure, limited green space in some areas and the need for more climate-resilient public spaces are increasingly relevant.

A potential Dubrovnik pilot could focus on testing a climate-resilient urban green space combining native and drought-resistant planting, shade, water-efficient management, biodiversity-supporting measures and accessible public-space design, together with community and stakeholder engagement.

DURA could contribute as a territorial coordination and pilot implementation partner, supporting cooperation with the City of Dubrovnik and other relevant institutions, stakeholder engagement, local implementation, monitoring, dissemination, transfer and policy uptake.

We would also be interested in discussing how the consortium plans to address the health and wellbeing dimension of the Green Living Areas topic, including the involvement of an appropriate health-competent partner.

Due to our current project obligations, DURA cannot act as Lead Partner, but we would be willing to contribute actively to proposal development and to defining the Dubrovnik pilot and related activities.

If you see potential complementarity, we would be very pleased to discuss the concept further.

Best regards,
Ivan Saltarić
DURA – City of Dubrovnik Development Agency
Croatia

[Marko Žmirak]

Dear Marta, dear all,

CKM Dubrovnik (Youth Career Center Dubrovnik), a non-profit youth NGO from Croatia, would like to join this consortium as a project partner. We can bring citizen and youth engagement and social inclusion activities in the pilot gardens, building on our ESF+ projects with elderly people and hard-to-employ women and on intergenerational active ageing, and we can co-deliver training content for the Euro-MED Academy with our adult education institution. We are happy to work in the Novigrad, Posedarje and Poličnik pilot or across the partnership.

Please let me know where to send our Partner Profile.

Marko Žmirak, President, CKM Dubrovnik
marko.zmirak@ckmdubrovnik.hr

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