Local cuisine, cosmetics, handicrafts, sustainable fashion, floating sunglasses, and much more drew the citizens of Split and many tourists as well to the “”Sustainability is my vibe” festival on April 25.
If you think small changes can’t make a big difference, the story from this festival might change your perspective. A cheerful atmosphere, the aromas of local food, creative solutions, and green ideas brought together numerous citizens, visitors, and partners from various sectors last Friday all united by a single goal – the development of sustainable tourism in Split!
— All of last week at Sunce was focused on sustainability in celebration of Earth Day. We organized cleanup actions, educational sessions, and swap fairs, and the highlight of the week took place last Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the festival at Pazar. Split showed that sustainability isn’t just a story for big conferences, it’s a daily way of life. That way of life can be embraced by the food we choose, the products we support, and how we think about waste.- said Tihana Arapović from Sunce, the organizer of the “Sustainability is my vibe” festival.
Sustainably-flavored delicacies: from pašticada to sea bass
Festival visitors enjoyed vegetarian, fish, and meat dishes. The pašticada with makaruni by the well-known Makarun restaurant was especially popular.
— As a Dalmatia Green partner, we strive to apply and spread sustainable principles in hospitality. We also invest in continuous education. – said Mario Ćulić from Split’s Makarun.
Visitors were thrilled with the sea bass fillets prepared by Chef Vedran Balić from Corto Maltese. Vegetarians enjoyed an innovative recipe by young Pandora chef Roko Perić.
— Pandora Greenbox and Corto Maltese restaurants implement zero-waste principles in their operations, and we educate both our staff and guests about them. – said Danijell Nikolla, owner of both restaurants.
For those who missed getting fresh fruits and vegetables at Pazar that day, Verdura Box was on hand with their fresh ingredients and products.
Beauty and ecology go hand in hand
Wondering what to do with the packaging of your favorite used-up cream? That’s exactly what we addressed in cooperation with Garnier, educating festival visitors on this topic.
— Sunce works on raising awareness and educating, starting from the youngest age, about proper waste separation and disposal. We all need to contribute to waste reduction in order to protect the environment. – said Tea Kuzmičić Rosandić from Sunce, who led the education segment at the festival.
Natural cosmetics at the festival were provided by Illirica, who showcased their natural soaps and other products.
Sustainability is in style!
Sustainability is not just a trend—it’s a lifestyle! At the festival, visitors got to experience a fashion revolution through Pazarium, the largest vintage clothing and handicrafts fair in Split.
Eco-fashion enthusiasts had the chance to try out sunglasses that suit everyone and are made from collected marine waste. Maritimo Recycling from Dubrovnik was a hit at the festival!
— We sort the collected plastic, which would otherwise continue to pollute our environment, by color, then shred it and turn it into whatever is needed. Sunglasses, jewelry, coasters, even benches. – said Maria Hvar from Maritimo Recycling.
But fashion wasn’t the only focus. A kitchen swap fair also attracted attention. As with every Swap Fair organized by Sunce on the first Tuesday of each month, visitors could bring surplus usable items and exchange them for what they needed—extending the items’ lifespan and preventing the disposal of useful things.
Students from the Split Craft Tehnical School prepared practical and sustainable promotional materials for everyone. All visitors went home with a lovely memory of the first Split sustainability festival.
DesirMED for Split-Dalmatia county schools
As part of the DesirMED project and in honor of Earth Day, Sunce launched a contest for primary schools in the Split-Dalmatia county. Schools were tasked with designing ideas for improving their outdoor spaces through projects combining functionality, education, and environmental care. The focus was on nature-based solutions like planting greenery, collecting rainwater, or creating outdoor learning spaces.
The winners were announced at the Festival. First place went to Kamešnica primary school, with a reward of full implementation of their idea. Second place was awarded to Dobri primary school, with partial implementation. Third place went to Zagvozd primary school, which received an educational workshop for students and staff.
— The main focus of our idea was vertical gardens, because we recently got a kitchen at school. When I saw the contest on Sunce’s Instagram, I told my colleague, ‘Why not give it a try?’ I can’t believe we won first place. – said a teacher from Kamešnica primary school, still in awe.
Together without plastic
At the very start of the festival, the promotional video for the “Together without plastic” campaign, part of the AWASTER project, was premiered.
— Our goal is to minimize waste production by promoting and advocating the principles of a circular economy. – said Tea Kuzmić-Rosandić, project leader at Sunce.
What’s ahead until 2030?
The “Sustainability is my vibe” festival was organized as part of the “Tourism 2030 – Sustainability is my vibe” project.
— Our goal is to encourage the development of sustainable tourism in Split and beyond by educating hospitality professionals, renters, and visitors. – emphasized Tihana Arapović, the project manager. She added that we can expect much more effort and fun events like this festival leading up to 2030.
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