The 4th CIRCLab on the circular economy was organized on November 30, 2022, by the Local Development Organization ANATOLIKI SA, as part of the implementation of the CIRCLE project.
The project CIRCLE-Circular Innovation and resilient cities in the Adriatic Sea region, is co-financed by the Interreg V-B Adriatic-Ionian ADRION Programme and it has a duration of 35 months (1/2/2020 – 31/12/2022). The partnership of the project consists of 14 partners from 8 countries of the Adriatic Sea basin (Italy, Greece, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Albania). In the project, ANATOLIKI SA participates as a partner and the Municipalities of Thermi and Kalamaria as collaborating stakeholders.
The objective of the CIRCLE project is to encourage cooperations between Municipalities, waste management companies, research centers, development institutions and other city bodies, in order to create innovative city labs (CIRCLabs) for sustainable waste management and adoption of circular economy practices.
This 4th CIRCLab brought together city bodies and citizen initiatives, dealing with the circular economy/innovation, so that they could present their activities, share their experiences, make their presence in the city more widely known, network with each other and have the opportunity for new collaborations.
The lab was hosted at the Creativity Platform working space, Egnatias 45, in Thessaloniki. The event was prefaced and moderated by Mrs Vaso Papadopoulou, director of the Programming and Sustainable Development department of ANATOLIKI SA, giving a description of the CIRCLE project, its goals and what has been achieved so far, shortly before its end. Afterwards, Mr. Panos Remundos, representative of the Creativity Platform, presented their actions and emphasized the importance and contribution of design to the circular economy, giving new perspectives.
Τhe next presentation was given by Mr. Periklis Hadjinakos, representative of the Environment Office of University of Macedonia and Mamagea, with details on the action of the office within the university community, aiming the awareness raise among students and employees of the University, as well as on the successful reopening of Mamagea organisation, as a need that arose with the start of the pandemic.
Further on, Mrs. Sophie Sarri, representative of InCommon, took the floor, presenting the multiple circular actions of the organization and emphasizing the importance of the local community and the scale of the neighborhood, as an effective way of transmitting circular economy habits.
Mrs. Kalina Dabiza, representative of Tetragon SA, presented the new Greek Tourism Organisation stand, designed by the company for the exhibitions at which the Greek Tourism Organisation participates worldwide, emphasizing the diversity that the stand can have, depending on the scale of the event, but also the reuse capacity of all the materials that creates the stand, in whatever country the stand needs to be re-positioned.
Mrs. Aravella Salonikidou, representative of Zero Waste Thessaloniki and Cosmus DIY, analyzed the circular actions within the society of Thessaloniki, as well as the multiple creative workshops that are organized, aiming to educate the citizens in the reuse and repair of materials and objects.
In the next presentation, Mr. Nikos Tsoniotis spoke about the actions of SKG Makers, representing the Municipality of Thessaloniki, and he brought to the discussion the various aspects of the circular economy, whether positive or negative.
At the end, Mrs Vaia Mitsiu showed how the company Rhoeco manages to create innovative food products in innovative packaging, applying the principles of zero waste to the fullest.
The discussion, which followed, was also of interest to the rest of the attendees, as Regional Development Fund of Central Macedonia, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and others, on matters of cooperation and good practices.
Part of the event was covered by ERT3 TV channel.
