“Once again, Vinkovci has demonstrated the importance of local community engagement in protecting the environment. Thanks to the commitment of more than a hundred citizens, Vinkovci secured support for urban afforestation, and today we are here to mark the completion of that investment. Linking clean-up activities with tangible projects that improve the local environment is exactly what we aim to encourage through the From Source to Sea initiative,” said Aleksandra Todorović, Community and Customer Relations Manager at Coca-Cola HBC Adria.
She added that the project, launched in 2018, has grown into a national initiative that brings together an increasing number of cities, associations, and citizens. Since its inception, 158 clean-up campaigns have been organised across Croatia, involving more than 13,800 volunteers and resulting in the collection of 1,146 tonnes of waste.
“For several years now, our fellow citizens have shown through their participation in the From Source to Sea environmental campaign just how much they care about the environment and the community we live in. What is especially encouraging is that, thanks to Coca-Cola, Konzum, the Association of Cities, and Jutarnji list, we are able to reward their efforts in the best possible way, by planting new trees that will beautify our city for years to come. This year, Vinkovci was named the winner of this national environmental initiative in the medium-sized cities category for the third time, and we are extremely proud of this achievement,” said Josip Romić, Mayor of Vinkovci.
He highlighted that increasing urban greenery remains one of the city administration’s priorities and recalled previous activities, including the restoration and planting of new trees in city parks, improvements to Papuk Park, and the enhancement of other public spaces. Thanks to previous victories in the project, Vinkovci has already planted 32 trees in the City Library courtyard and 80 trees in the Sopot district, while this year’s funding enables further investment in the city’s green infrastructure.
“We want to preserve what Vinkovci has always been known for, a city rich in greenery, tree-lined avenues, and parks, while leaving future generations an even more attractive and pleasant place to live. That is why every new tree matters to us, and we are particularly pleased when it is the result of the collective effort of our fellow citizens,” the Mayor added.
“As a company that continuously implements initiatives focused on waste reduction, responsible resource management, and the promotion of more sustainable habits, Konzum believes that projects like this demonstrate how much can be achieved when a community comes together around an important cause. We therefore congratulate Vinkovci and all the volunteers whose joint efforts made this success possible,” said Katarina Kovačević, Regional Manager for the East Region at Konzum.
