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Description
Garden(AKT)ivism is an advocacy project that seeks to empower and involve citizens and local civil society in advocacy and campaign in creating a model and implementation of the project of urban gardens and the first community garden in Pula at the very moment when the City of Pula has already announced the launch of a tender for urban gardens, while it is certain that without an urgent and intensive advocacy campaign the City will not involve citizens and civil society in the decision making process. Citizens have already expressed initial interest and there is already a Group for Urban Gardens of Green Istria that brings together citizens who want to get more involved, and civil society shows signals for cooperation. At the end of 2020, the City of Pula is planning a public consultation on the Draft Strategy with a plan for adaptation to climate change of the City of Pula, and on September 23. it announced an invitation to citizens to participate in creating the budget for next year. These are all procedures in which we want to actively participate and advocate the model of urban and community gardens with an emphasis on citizen participation in creating the model. The following activities are planned: A1. Strengthening CSOs / citizens / citizens'' advocacy initiatives to participate in the creation of the model and implementation of the project of urban gardens and the first community garden in Pula ; A2. Exploring the possibilities of cooperation and involvement of interested associations and actors in the project / campaign Garden (AKT)ivism and A3. Public campaign for the realization of the project of urban gardens and the first community garden in Pula. The project contributes to strengthening the capacity of CSOs/citizens/initiatives in Pula for their mutual cooperation and participation in creating the Pula model of urban gardens/community garden and for advocating and campaigning for the adoption of the model by the City of Pula.
Summary of project results
The project aimed to address several key challenges:
- The loss of "wild" and unregulated urban gardens due to urban development (e.g., construction of hospitals and shopping malls).
- The lack of formal urban garden spaces in Pula, with the risk of green zones being converted into construction areas.
- Raising awareness of sustainability and local food production, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, which motivated citizens to think about self-sufficiency and urban gardening.
- The absence of citizen and civil society involvement in the planning and creation of urban and community gardens.
The project organized a series of activities to promote urban gardening and raise awareness, including:
- A public call for citizens to engage in urban gardening initiatives in Pula.
- Forming the Urban Garden Group within Zelena Istra, consisting of 40 members with diverse professional backgrounds.
- Public events (e.g., film screenings, lectures on urban permaculture) and fundraising efforts to support the campaign for urban gardens.
- Advocacy and lobbying efforts, including consultations with the City of Pula, to push for the creation of urban gardens and the first community garden in the city.
- Hosting a forum and workshops with experts on urban and community gardens to inform and involve local citizens in shaping the project model.
- A participatory process where citizens helped draft proposals for city decisions on urban gardens and a community garden, directly influencing local planning.
The project led to several positive outcomes:
- Urban garden competition announced: The City of Pula launched a public competition for urban gardens and the first community garden at Gregovica, a direct result of the project’s advocacy and citizen involvement.
- Citizen mobilization and empowerment: The project empowered local citizens, including civil society organizations and schools, by involving them in the advocacy and decision-making processes regarding urban gardens.
- Increased awareness and engagement: The local community became more aware of the benefits of urban and community gardens, with significant interest in expanding these gardens across the city.
- Strengthened collaboration: The project helped strengthen collaboration between civil society organizations, educational institutions, and the City of Pula, laying the foundation for future cooperation.
- Policy impact: The City of Pula incorporated the group’s proposals into their urban planning, including the management of urban gardens and the allocation of land for the first community garden.
- Long-term community engagement: The project has contributed to a lasting increase in local activism and citizen involvement in urban planning, with the potential for future positive impacts on the community’s sustainability initiatives.
In conclusion, the project successfully mobilized the community, influenced local policy, and helped create a model for urban and community gardening in Pula, with ongoing advocacy for additional gardens.