From April 21st to 27th, Berane celebrated Earth Day with a week-long initiative that showcased the commitment of citizens and institutions to building a more resilient and equal place to live. The Earth Day celebration was implemented as part of Small-scale Action 2 of Berane’s Integrated Action Plan (IAP), under the URBACT IV-funded ECONNECTING project—a shared European commitment to ecological transition and proximity-based living.
Micro-actions for a greener future
The program began on Tuesday, April 22, Earth Day itself, with hands-on actions to regenerate the park in front of the "Vukašin Radunović" school. This initiative brought together municipal departments (economy, development and investments and communal-housing affairs, traffic and environmental protection), the Environmental Protection Agency, and students, united by the common goal of creating a cleaner, greener public space.
The micro-location improvement actions consisted of planting new tree seedlings, cleaning up rubbish, painting the Green Island and installing behaton panels. Everyone is satisfied that Berane can now enjoy another tidy park area!
That same day, the ECONNECTING project was featured on Radio Berane’s “Chronicle of the City,” where the project team introduced the initiative to the public and invited citizens to join the upcoming community bike ride.
Educating for change
The momentum continued with educational workshops on Thursday, April 24, held in local schools and supported by institutional partners. At the Vocational High School "Vukadin Vukadinović", students engaged with traffic police to learn about transport safety: an essential theme for cities striving to make soft mobility a priority. In parallel, at "Vukašin Radunović" elementary school, young learners took part in a workshop on environmental protection, strengthening local ecological awareness from the ground up.
A community in motion: “Ride with us”
The culmination of the week came on Saturday, April 26, with Berane’s first-ever Critical Mass bicycle ride, held under the inspiring slogan “RIDE WITH US – NATURE, ENERGY, COMMUNITY.” Citizens of all ages joined members of the Biciklo.me association, municipal police, and traffic officials in a symbolic, joyful ride through the town’s streets. The aim of the bicycle ride was to promote the bicycle as a means of transport and draw attention to the need to create conditions for the safe and easy use of this form of transport.
Shared results, lasting impact
The Earth Day celebration in Berane serves as a compelling example of how local institutions, civil society, and residents can co-create public spaces and rethink daily mobility habits. Through small, coordinated actions and symbolic community events, Berane has added tangible value to its urban fabric and inspired green decision-making across generations.
This impactful week marked a new stage in Berane’s pathway towards a more ecological, inclusive, and connected town.