On the 21st of May, the Western Balkans Circular Economy Hub was officially launched during an online event held as a side event of the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF).
The presence of over 80 participants from across the region, along with dozens of applications from individuals and organisations eager to join the Hub, demonstrated that the circular economy is gaining traction and inspiring more actors to take an active role in the transition.
The event featured several speakers who gave their insights:
– Emilija Jovanova Stoilkova, Regional Manager for the Western Balkans at HELVETAS, spoke about the importance of establishing a regional hub in the Western Balkans and explained how HELVETAS and Sida developed the idea for this project through the RECONOMY programme;
– Representatives from the Chambers of Commerce from the 6 Western Balkan countries, Tanja Radusinovic, Nebojsa Vranes, Tijana Muhamedagić, Edvard Sofeski, Muela Ibraimi and Olivera Radic, highlighted the progress made so far in advancing circular economy efforts, and outlined their future plans to support companies in becoming more circular;
– Elin Bergman, Co-founder of Nordic Circular Hotspot and CTO of Cradlenet, offered insights from her experience founding a circular economy hub in the Nordics and building collaborative networks that drive the transition forward;
– Finally, Angelina Taneva-Veshoska, IECE’s Director, presented the mission, vision, and upcoming activities and initiatives of the Hub, including:
- WBCEH Membership – express your interest to become a member by filling this application form
- 100 Best Circular Practices Initiative – apply here to be featured
If you missed the event, you can watch the full recording of the event below.
