The Centre for Sustainable Development joined in the promotion of ecology and sustainable living for the third time during the Clean City Gdańsk Festival (Festiwal Czyste Miasto Gdańsk). On 22 June 2024, despite unfavourable weather, the event attracted crowds of visitors to the Coal Market (Targ Węglowy).
This is the fourth edition of the festival organised by the city of Gdańsk. The event, which is primarily educational and, as the organisers emphasise, integrative, attracts more and more visitors every year. This year’s event’s slogan ‘Give objects a second life’ referred to the ideas of sustainable development, recycling and a closed loop economy.
“The event not only educates, but also integrates the community, showing that each of us can contribute to protecting the environment,” said Piotr Kryszewski, deputy mayor of Gdańsk for municipal services, who welcomed the guests to the Festival.
Integral to the event were partner stands, where it was possible to take part in workshops or, for example, see a rubbish truck live and sit at its helm. The Centre for Sustainable Development was invited to arrange one of the stands. CZRUG prepared an offer aimed at both children and adults. One of the attractions was the opportunity to take part in an educational quiz on sustainability goals related to ecology and climate change. In line with the idea of less waste, the Centre kept the number of promotional gadgets to a minimum. This pleased visitors to the stand, who were able to receive, among other things, apples and… a portion of honey meadow as a reward for taking part in the activities.
For the younger visitors to the stand of the Centre for Sustainable Development, Zuzanna Kijewska, a student of Graphic Design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, prepared colouring books on request. In addition, UG students Mateusz Staniewicz and Maja Lohse as well as CZRUG employees Maria Karbowska and Szymon Gronowski took part in manning the stand.
The event was also accompanied by a rich stage programme. Debates and panels covered topics such as craft services, ecological solutions and urban agriculture, among others. Cooking workshops from food leftovers also attracted a lot of attention from the event’s participants.
As the organisers pointed out, the Clean City Gdańsk Festival is an excellent platform for the exchange of experiences and ideas for a more sustainable lifestyle.
“It is through such initiatives that we can make a real difference to the quality of our environment. It is also a moment when the people of Gdansk can celebrate pro-ecological initiatives together and enjoy being part of a sustainable future for our city,” reads a press release from gdansk.pl.
Many thanks to the city of Gdansk for the invitation to participate in the Festival!