Final conference, for project participants from Montenegro and Albania, within the project „Comunity Empowerment, a Key to Better Environment" was held on January 31st in Hotel Podgorica.
The conference consisted of three panels, in the introduction part participants were welcomed by the Executive Director of CDT's Dragan Koprivica, and in front of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Tourism, Deputy Minister for Environment, Ivana Vojinovic.
The second panel, "Challenges in establishing sustainable development in the crossborder region" was moderated by journalist TV News, Marijana Bojanic, and panelists were Darko Pajovic, NGO Green Home, Tatjana Koprivica, Historical Institute of Montenegro, Dragoljub Vukovic, journalist and member of the National Council for Sustainable development, and Elda Zotaj, participants from Albania.
The third part of the conference was devoted to the opportunities for cross-border cooperation. Moderator of the panel was executive director of the Environmental movement Ozon, Aleksandar Perovic, and participants were representative of the Municipality of Tuzi, Elonora Camaj, representative of the Municipality of Shkoder Gentian Mema, head of the Office for Sustainable Development Bosiljka Vukovic and director of the Hydrometeorological Institute of Montenegro, Luka Mitrovic.
Conclusions of the conference were formulated:
- Sustainable development should be seen through the synergy of economic and ecological parameters, which certainly guarantees the improvement of quality of life of local community and the preservation of the public and the interests of future generations
- Active participation of stakeholders in decision-making and a strong community is one of the most important prerequisites for sustainable development
Besides panelists, and project participants, guests on the Conference were representatives of the Institute for Nature Protection, Aarhus Centre, NGO Expeditio, University of Montenegro, the OSCE, political parties, which positively influenced the quality of work and resulted with plans for further cooperation in this field.
