The annual assembly of Sunce gathered 28 members, both at the Sunce premises and via the Zoom platform. The meeting was opened by the executive director, Gabrijela Medunić-Orlić, who welcomed the attendees and confirmed the quorum: 23 present members out of a total of 37 active members.
Samanta Šećer, head of Finance, Organization and Administration Department, briefly presented the Financial Plan for 2025 along with accompanying decisions: the Decision on reallocation of funds and the Decision on amendments to the Financial Plan.
It was highlighted that funds for 2025 are secured, and, given the duration of approved projects, a significant portion of funding for 2026 is also ensured. There were no comments on the submitted Financial Plan for 2025 or accompanying decisions, so all of those documents were unanimously adopted.
Program plan for 2025 introduced
The Executive Director presented the Organizational Development Activity Plan for 2025. She emphasized successes related to member and volunteer engagement, the planned development of a new member and volunteer work plan, external evaluation and image research, improvements to the employee evaluation procedures, and staff training planned for 2025.
The heads of Sunce departments then presented the 2025 Operational Program Plan. Zrinka Jakl, Head of the Nature Conservation Department, explained that the department’s focus next year would be on advocating for the implementation of established management plans, regulating free anchoring, and protecting posidonia meadows. Conservation strategies for habitats and species will be implemented and tested through the ASPEH project, while assessments of habitat conditions and pressures from nautical tourism in pilot areas of the Adriatic will be conducted under the BIOPRESSADRIA project.
For the Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development Department, Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić highlighted a major success: after three years of advocacy, single-use plastic cups are no longer used at Advent events in Split organized by the city. Upcoming work in 2025 includes collaboration with the business sector on circular economy initiatives through the AWASTER project, work with fishers via the FishNoWaste project, and waste management solutions on Dugi Otok under the Wastereduce and Plastic-Free Croatian Island projects. Educational efforts for students and pupils will also feature prominently across these initiatives.
Maja Jurić, Head of Communications and Advocacy Department, praised Sunce’s campaigns, particularly Together Without Plastic for public events without single-use plastics in Split and And Where Do You Anchor?, promoting sustainable practices at sea. These campaigns increased the number of Green Phone reports during the summer, including 28 cases of sea pollution. Advocacy next year will focus on urging relevant institutions to address these issues effectively and protect the marine environment.
Margita Radman, Head of Education and Information Department, announced a series of horizontal activities and educational initiatives for youth as part of other department projects. For Earth Day 2025, a competition on climate change and nature-based solutions will be organized for elementary schools in Split-Dalmatia County, with the main prize being a new school garden funded through the DesirMED project. Public events like Biciklijada, Šizika, and Quizos were commended for their excellent turnout of citizens, members, and volunteers of Sunce, and they will continue in 2025. The department also expects to implement the VolonTERRA project focused on school volunteering and the recently approved ESF project, Navigating STEM Waters—Ticket to 2030.
After the presentations, active members unanimously approved the 2025 Operational Program Plan.
Green Phone: a tool for environmental advocacy
The assembly concluded with a presentation on the Green Phone, a free tool for reporting environmental issues, which is part of the Croatian Green Phone Network. Ksenija Adžić, Associate Lawyer at Communications and Advocacy Department, highlighted that the Green Phone receives over 200 reports annually. This year, in response to the increasingly frequent incidents of sea pollution, a new category, “sea,” was introduced, which has already recorded as many as 28 reports.
Ksenija emphasized the Green Phone’s role as a bridge between citizens and relevant institutions, enabling swift action on reported issues. The tool has also contributed to societal change, as each report helps build a system that addresses environmental problems in a timely manner.
The Green Phone’s significance has been recognized by the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund, which has funded the project for two consecutive years, with funding for 2025 currently under review. Thanks to their support, Sunce, through the Green Phone, continuously provides advisory services to the public about their role and rights in environmental protection and contributes to raising public awareness about the importance of reporting environmental issues. Sunce expressed hope for continued support in the coming year.
Following the official agenda, members gathered for a reception, where they continued discussions on the importance of civic engagement in environmental preservation and explored opportunities for future project development to improve quality of life and protect nature. The reception provided a platform for networking, idea exchange, and planning future collaborations.