Sitemap

H.E. Jan Lundin, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Sweden to Serbia

This is How We Cook the Change!

Within our UNDP project Climate Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we Ideas To Waste want to pave the way for a larger and climate smart waste reform in Serbia. We are looking forward to receiving innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste

A journey to a sustainable future leads through many exciting initiatives and encompasses literary everybody interested in contributing to a better world, with less waste and a cleaner environment. The Swedish involvement in the Western Balkans shows how you can start from culinary challenges and progress to potentially large scale innovations, leading to a clean and healthy environment.

🔴 How has the Swedish Embassy engaged in food and sustainability issues?

– Food is on our plate and in our minds every day! It connects many parts of life, nature, society and the economy, and is an excellent way to discuss Agenda 2030! When I was the new ambassador in 2017, the idea emerged to produce a sustainable cookbook, Swedish Culinary Diplomacy, with cooking experiences from the Swedish Ambassadorial Residence. This soon turned into a regional project called Food for Tomorrow, where five countries in the Western Balkans and Sweden exchanged experiences on sustainable food production! Food lovers and entrepreneurs from the region made more than 15 different events.

With an online challenge, we gathered 700 participants from 75 countries, inventing the most sustainable recipes that now included waste and food produced locally. The next step on our food journey was to shift the focus to food consumption. We engaged students and food entrepreneurs in challenges to reduce food wastage from cooking, and this has now turned into a new cookbook: Agenda 2030 Cookbook – Food for Tomorrow, which is soon to be finalised, to share ideas on how to reduce food wastage! This year we are paying special attention to better food in schools, and we reach out to schoolchildren to help them learn about health, sustainability and food!

There are many possibilities for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden. Many good ideas are already developing in Serbia!

🔴 How does the Embassy focus on food connected to the Swedish development portfolio in Serbia?

– They go very well together! Sweden is the major bilateral donor for the environment to Serbia, providing more than two million euros per year! Our focus is on supporting Serbia in moving towards the EU’s environmental standards for a clean and healthy environment. Healthy food can only come from a clean environment. For many years, Sweden has supported waste and water management and investments but also improved chemical management and reduced industrial pollution.

Swedish and EU support helped launch the start of waste recycling in 17 municipalities. We work closely with the Serbian Government, but also with local administrations, to develop reforms. We have this year launched several projects to strengthen Environmental democracy – engagements of businesses, civil society and young people in the environment and climate change. In our UNDP project Climate-Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we want to pave the way for a larger and climate-smart waste reform in Serbia – innovative business ideas for reducing food and green waste will be coming!

🔴 What possibilities exist for exchanges of experience, innovations and trade between Serbia and Sweden?

– Many! The EU has a strong focus on innovation and clean technologies, and Sweden is well advanced, while many good ideas are already developing in Serbia! At the Kopaonik Business Forum, we had a round-table discussion at which Swedish companies like IKEA and Tetra Pak shared their innovative solutions and showed how they work with sustainability in Serbia.

In the project Climate-Smart Bio-waste Challenge, we will place a special emphasis on exchanges of experience. Let’s see what ideas will come out of the innovation call that’s now open for applications in Serbia. And let’s not forget that Sweden imports delicious blueberries, raspberries and honey from Serbia!

Related Articles

Nataša Pirc Musar, President Of Slovenia

Cooperation Is The Name Of The Game

Europe is in a hurry because it needs to catch up with the emerging and existing superpowers that take up ever more spheres of...

H.E. Hami Aksoy, Ambassador Of The Republic Of Türkiye

Golden Age

With regard to relations between Belgrade and Pristina, our official position is to support the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue in Brussels. We followed events in North...

H.E. Christopher Hill, U.S. Ambassador To Serbia

Dramatic Advancement

Our relationships with the government of Serbia are open and constructive as we tackle tough global problems together as partners, rather than adversaries. Just...

H.E. Pierre Cochard, Ambassador Of The French Republic To The Republic Of Serbia

No Alternative To Normalisation

Municipal elections in the municipalities of North Kosovo that are boycotted by the Serb population do not represent a lasting political solution. They have...

H.E. Emanuele Giaufret, Ambassador And Head Of The European Union Delegation To The Republic Of Serbia

We Want To See Serbia In The EU

The EU accession framework is very clear, and where Serbia is, and what its priorities should be to move faster on its accession path,...

Hermann Parzinger, Executive President Of Europa Nostra

Cultural Heritage – A Vector For European Integration

Visoki Dečani Monastery - built in the 14th century - is a heritage gem of importance to the whole of humanity, and especially for...

H.E. Fedor Rosocha, Ambassador Of The Slovak Republic To Serbia

Chance To Move Forward

Mutual recognition (between Serbia and Kosovo) has not been set as a condition for joining EU, neither in the Chapter 35, nor elsewhere in...

Catherine Margaret Ashton, Baroness Ashton Of Upholland, GCMG

And Then What?

The Brussels Agreement laid the foundations for both Belgrade and Pristina to develop their relations, and gave them space to discuss their ambitions for...

More...

Milan Radulović Awarded French Order of Arts and Letters

Milan Radulović, the director of the Music Youth of Novi Sad and the Novi Sad Music Festivities, has been honoured with the French Order...

Celebration Of 115 years Of Diplomatic Relations Between Egypt and Serbia

On Thursday, November 23, the Slavija Fountain in Belgrade was illuminated with the colors of the Egyptian flag, in honor of the celebration of...

Serbia and Cyprus Strengthen Ties with Three New Cooperation Memorandums

In a significant diplomatic event held in Belgrade, the governments of Serbia and Cyprus have inked three memorandums of understanding, reinforcing their collaboration in...

Serbia Appoints New Ambassadors to Sweden, Venezuela, Brazil, and Libya

Serbia has announced the appointment of four new ambassadors, following a decree issued by President Aleksandar Vučić.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that Jelena...

Milan Radulović Awarded French Order of Arts and Letters

Milan Radulović, the director of the Music Youth of Novi Sad and the Novi Sad Music Festivities, has been...

Swedish High-Tech Electric Ferry Sets New Public Transport Standard

Cities worldwide view clean and efficient public transportation as a key strategy for reducing carbon emissions.  For cities with...

Celebration Of 115 years Of Diplomatic Relations Between Egypt and Serbia

On Thursday, November 23, the Slavija Fountain in Belgrade was illuminated with the colors of the Egyptian flag, in...

Serbia and Cyprus Strengthen Ties with Three New Cooperation Memorandums

In a significant diplomatic event held in Belgrade, the governments of Serbia and Cyprus have inked three memorandums of...

Serbia Appoints New Ambassadors to Sweden, Venezuela, Brazil, and Libya

Serbia has announced the appointment of four new ambassadors, following a decree issued by President Aleksandar Vučić.  The Ministry of...