NGO Green Home, in cooperation with the Public Utility Company Ulcinj, organized an international conference in Ulcinj titled “Challenges and Solutions in the Fight for a Plastic-Free Sea.”
The conference was attended by representatives of numerous organizations and institutions from Montenegro and the wider Mediterranean region, who shared knowledge and experiences through in-person and online participation, including speakers from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Cyprus, and Tunisia.
The conference focused on the urgent need for a change in the approach of management bodies, while simultaneously involving local communities, with the ultimate goal of reducing the generation of marine litter. Given its international character, the event served as a valuable opportunity for sharing successful experiences, which will be crucial for future activities in this area.
As part of the conference, discussions centered on international practices in preventing plastic pollution. Hussem Hamdi, a leading environmental activist and initiator of numerous initiatives in Tunisia, shared his experiences, along with Panagiota Koutsofta and Philippos Drousiotis from the Cyprus Sustainable Tourism Initiative, who presented a series of activities implemented in Cyprus to reduce plastic waste. Miloš Grbović, founder of the start-up company 3D soba, which produces benches and other items from recycled plastic, presented his experience with recycling efforts in Montenegro. Jelena Peruničić showcased GIZ’s Low Plastic Zone initiative, which was implemented in previous years in the region and initially launched in Ulcinj, along with several other activities conducted by this organization.
A portion of the conference was dedicated to the legislative framework and practical challenges in its implementation in Montenegro. Speakers included Danilo Veljić from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ana Kopitović from Deponija d.o.o. Podgorica, Milena Rmuš from the Chamber of Commerce, and Zenepa Lika from the Dr Martin Schneider Jacoby Association.
The final conference panel addressed the prevention of plastic pollution in a regional context, featuring presentations by Tea Kuzmičić from the Sunce Association (Croatia), Danijela Mane from the Institute for Nature Conservation (INCA) in Albania, and Valentina Gagić from REC Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The conference was organized as part of the initiative Strengthening Awareness and Education within the MARICES project: Marine Awareness, Recycling, Innovation through Community Engagement and Solutions. The project received indirect funding from the European Union’s research and innovation program—Horizon Europe—through the Horizon Europe Framework Program, issued and implemented under the REMEDIES project.
