Last weekend (September 26–27) in Kolarec, we marked the European Day of Sustainable Communities (EDSC) in the most wonderful way: by learning traditional skills, connecting and engaging in dialogue!
The local elementary school yard and our “Playground that Grows” welcomed residents as well as dear visitors from Zagreb and Bjelovar-Bilogora County:
We applied rough and fine clay-straw plaster, shaped traditional clay vessels, kneaded homemade bread, brewed an immunity syrup using herbs from the yard, learned about the importance of preserving heirloom seeds and held a seed swap.
We opened our small outdoor Regenerative Community Library alongside a tasting of traditional Prigorje cicmara (cornmeal porridge with cream), and the first books have already been borrowed!
The centerpiece of the EDSC program was a community dinner by the fire. Gathered in a relaxed circle around the firepit, we spoke with the Mayor of Gornja Rijeka Municipality and a public utility company representative. We addressed pressing issues: waste management, rainwater harvesting and wastewater infrastructure, as well as future initiatives, such as establishing a community center to support sustainable agriculture, tourism and small local crafts. The mayor expressed full support for citizen-led initiatives and pledged the municipality’s partnership in upcoming project applications aimed at delivering solutions.
Communities that learn from their heritage know how to build a resilient, sustainable future. Thank you to everyone who took part in this heartwarming story! 💚
The event was organized by the KORAK as part of the ISKRA project on the occasion of the European Day of Sustainable Communities (EDSC), co-funded by the European Union through the Regenerative Communities Fund.
