The fifth edition of the Greencajt Festival, held from 21 to 23 May 2025, has once again confirmed Zagreb’s status as a regional centre for open dialogue on key issues of the future. Over the course of three days, through more than 30 lectures and panels, international leaders, innovators, and experts in the fields of ecology, food industry, urban planning, tourism, and entrepreneurship discussed how to translate sustainability from an idea into everyday practice.
Gastronomy as a tool of sustainability and guardian of local identity
The audience was particularly impressed by chef Nick Curtin, owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant from Denmark, who showed through his masterclass From Waste to Worth how food can be a tool for change, through the philosophy of plot dining, seasonality and cooperation with local producers. A similar message was sent by the panel discussion Rethink Food: The Taste of Zero Waste, where representatives of large systems such as Kaufland and Dukat showed concrete examples in which food is treated as a valuable resource, rather than waste.
At the panel entitled Dalmatian Brunch, Slavonian Black Pig, Istrian Olives powered by the Croatian National Tourist Board, Cristina Vojić Krajcar, Marketing Manager of the Istrian County Tourist Board and Ivana Jurić, Director of the Osijek-Baranja County Tourist Board, discussed authenticity as a fundamental principle of sustainable tourism and the importance of connecting local food, culture and identity. It is this connection that is crucial for positioning Croatia – and Zagreb – as a destination that cares about its future.
A strong message to the audience was also sent by the participants of the panel Rethink Food: The Taste of Zero Waste – Daniel Šitum (Kaufland), Prof. Niels Heine Kristensen, Elena Wolsperger Dolezil (Dukat) and Antonio Matusan (Crumbs.hr) – presenting practices in which food is viewed as a resource, rather than waste.
