Version 3.2

Presentation of the first Community garden in Pula

On behalf of Green Istria, I propose a short, 20-30 minutes presentation (with PPT) of the first Community garden in Pula, Croatia.

Since May 2021 Green Istria has been managing the Community garden at Gregovica together with Association of Persons with Physical Disabilities of Southern Istria, Pula Gymnasium, School for Training and Education – Pula, Student Association Pula and Autism Association Istria.

The garden was awarded to Green Istria after the campaign "Return the garden to the city" and unique participatory advocacy initiative which involved citizens of Pula and the above mentioned partners. Within the campaign, they developed a model of Pula urban gardens and community garden and advocated for the adoption of the model by the City of Pula. The model was reflected in two corresponding City of Pula's decisions proposals. In this manner, the City’s decisions were for the first time ever in Pula designed "from the bottom up”! As a result, the City published the call for management and use of the community garden open to civil society organizations, i.e. associations, as well as for applications for garden plots by the individual citizens!

Today, the 1.500 m2 Community garden at Gregovica serves the purpose which was envisaged for it by the citizens' initiative and then green Istria’s Group for urban gardens in early 2020, after the covid crisis emerged – it’s a place where community members socialise, educate and practice joint organic food cultivation, a place where values of solidarity, cooperation, participatory decision-making, social responsibility and inclusion are highly ranked.

The presentation would contribute to the conference by demonstrating the good practice of local civil society which builds new forms of social solidarity and contributes to creation of sustainable and just society.