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Can you imagine what a city filled with nature would feel like?

Sarajevo is a city in the heart of Europe that is specific in historical, cultural, and natural aspect, a city that unites east and west and that is open to the new and different. The citizens of Sarajevo, taught by experience, appreciate the opportunities, especially taking into account the premise that everyone is equal.

Sarajevo is characterised by lack of multifunctional green areas and faces several problems that other European cities face, such as climate change, pollution, deforestation. It also faces the problem of traffic and heating which also affect pollution, and this problem requires systematic changes rather than short-term solutions.

The development of a resilient city pleasant for the life of citizens of all ages and meeting their needs is one of the goals of the city, with respecting balance between urban development and environmental protection with special emphasis on responsible management of the environment, space, natural and infrastructural resources (in line with strategic goals of the canton, city and city municipalities and in line with UN SDG).

In order to co-create greener, happier, healthier and more resilient city the first nature-based solution (NBS) in Sarajevo is developed within the project Connecting Nature. The project is financed by EU through Horizon 2020 programme and includes 31 partners from Europe and wider and Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency SERDA is one of the partners and works in cooperation with City of Sarajevo, Municipality of Novo Sarajevo and Secondary Vocational Education and Training School Sarajevo.

Main actors from public and private sector participated in process of determining Sarajevo issues and in creating innovative solutions for economic, environmental, and societal development. The co-production process applied ensured to hear voices of the inhabitants and various target groups: children, elderly people, experts in urban planning, architects, experts for work with children with disabilities, their parents, with active involvement of the municipality, city and representatives of the NGOs and companies dealing with environment.

Based on inputs, and within the support of the project partners and using innovative tools and methods, urban garden with sensory park was designed, which will provide the inhabitants of the city a place for relaxation, entertainment, learning and play, not forgetting people with special needs – children with intellectual and/or physical disabilities.

The urban garden with sensory park will enrich biodiversity of this area, with special focus on trees which help fight the air pollution, as one of the main environmental problems in Sarajevo.

Beside of contribution to the biodiversity of the urban area through the urban garden, will be provided support to the nature-based enterprises (NBEs) and their innovative and sustainable products which are environmentally friendly and integral part of the NBS.

The first NBS in Sarajevo, with added value elements, will also raise awareness of its multiple benefits for the urban areas. Our final ambition to create sustainable model for the design and implementation of the urban gardens and its recognition as strategic project of the city/canton.

The establishment of the urban garden with sensory park is planned in May 2022 within the Secondary Vocational Education and Training School Sarajevo and will be followed with set of activities for pupils, elderly people and inhabitants. To find out more: www.serda.ba; [email protected]