“Advancing environmental sustainability action” is a new theme in the frame of the project: “ENV.Net Factoring the Environmental Portfolio for WB and Turkey in The EU Policy Agenda” (IPA 2017/ 394-372), connected to financial support to third party for monitoring and evidence-based advocacy. Awarded organizations and projects are following:

1. “Education Development Centre “Planet” from Sombor, project “The Hive- circular economy as a model of entrepreneurship for the youth”

2. Association of citizens „Zlatiborski krug“ from Čajetina, project „Model of circular economy in the service of environmental protection in the municipality of Cajetina“

3. Non-smoking Educational Center„EKO-Nec“  from Kragujevac, project „The contribution to media reporting on Chapter 27 and a circular economy”“.

During 2019 and partly in 2020, organizations will work to promote the concept of circular economy through entrepreneurial activities of young people at the local level, with customized trainings for different target groups, from children of school age, teachers, parents, representatives of local government, to reporting on the undertaken activities and results achieved, aimed to improve the state of the environment in terms of local sustainable development.

The projects will start with implementation on February 1, 2019 and will include over 200 participants from participating local communities and organizations of sub-grantees. We expect the first results in April and we believe that the concept of “circular economy” will not remain as a good idea that is being talked about, but will become an integral part of future entrepreneurial initiatives, from youth and educational level to business and economic, in order to improve initiatives and raise awareness on need to protect the environment and to safe resources as much as possible.