“Čuvaj da te čuva” – Together for a Greener Courtyard at “Ratko Žarić” Primary School
A tree-planting and outdoor furnishing initiative was organised in the courtyard of “Ratko Žarić” Primary School in Nikšić as part of a joint initiative aimed at improving the school environment and promoting sustainable practices among young people.
The event was attended by the Ambassador of the European Union to Montenegro, Johann Sattler, the Minister of Education, Science and Innovation, Anđela Jakšić Stojanović, representatives of the company Goranović, and the school principal, Radenko Adžić.
During the event, the first tree was symbolically planted, and 20 saplings were provided through the “Let’s Green Montenegro” initiative for the further landscaping of the school courtyard.
As part of the visit, a donation from the company “Goranović” was also presented, including 10 benches made from recycled plastic, as well as 11 tables and chairs for the school’s outdoor area, further improving the space for pupils’ outdoor activities and recreation.
Copyright: Evropska kuća
Ambassador Sattler stated that raising awareness is the most important step in environmental protection, emphasising that the education system plays a key role in adopting ecological values from an early age.
He stressed that clean-up campaigns are important, but that prevention is far more effective, which is why he particularly praised the inclusion of environmental topics in education. The Ambassador also highlighted the importance of co-operation between institutions, schools, local communities, businesses, and citizens, assessing that such a joint approach also contributes to Montenegro’s path towards the European Union.
“We can organise clean-up campaigns as well, but it is far better to prevent a problem than to solve it afterwards. And the best path to prevention is to instil awareness of environmental protection in the minds of our young, wonderful people in Montenegro from the earliest age,” Ambassador Sattler stated.
The Executive Director of the company “Goranović”, Đorđije Goranović, stated that the project represents an example of successful co-operation between the EU Delegation, the Ministry of Education, and the private sector, which should serve as a model for other initiatives of social importance. He highlighted that the company fosters socially responsible business practices and that the project used recycled plastic, adding that businesses should invest part of their profits in education and environmental protection.
“Every company, whether in the field of ecology or any other activity that generates profit, should invest part of the profit in projects of great importance, primarily for the education system and the environmental component,” said Goranović.
Copyright: Evropska kuća
“Every new sapling we plant today represents an investment in a healthier and more responsible future for our youngest generations. Through the ‘Čuvaj da te čuva’ initiative, we want to teach children love for nature and the community, because the most important changes in society begin precisely in the classroom,” Minister Jakšić Stojanović emphasised.
The President of the Municipal Assembly of Nikšić, Milica Lalatović Žižić, highlighted the key role of local governments in developing environmental awareness, stressing that education about environmental protection must begin from the earliest age. She stated that preserving natural resources must be a priority, alongside strengthening the culture of recycling and waste separation, and emphasised that local authorities will continue to support sustainable development projects.
“No matter how great the material gain and economic growth may be, it means nothing to us if we do not have what we have today – clean air, land, and water,” she stated, emphasising that environmental protection is one of the most important tasks on Montenegro’s path towards the European Union.
This joint initiative once again demonstrated that partnerships between institutions, the private sector, and the local community can bring concrete, lasting change – creating a more beautiful, greener, and more inspiring environment for future generations to grow up in.