Forum Talk: Circularity is a Virtue - An introduction to Circular Economy and field perspectives from the Western Balkan region
July's Forum talk
MONDAY, 26 JULY 2021, 4.30-5.30 P.M. CET
co-organised with The Balkan Forum
The previous 150 years of industrialization have been shaped by a linear economic model depending on the notion of ‘take-make-waste’. This pattern has enhanced heightened dependency on rare resources, resulting in both environmental damage and massive volumes of waste. To respond to these wide-ranging impacts, the development of a circular economy, based on the principle of reduced resource use, has become nothing short of a necessity. By committing to this principle, circular economy is aimed at reducing the use of resource inputs, carbon emissions, and the creation of waste. This results in the setting-up of closed-loop models, through constantly reusing, resharing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing, and recycling.
- Circular Economy in the Western Balkans region: Waste Management as a Challenge (published by The Balkan Forum - 2021)

Alex TAYLOR
European journalist

Moderator
Alex Taylor is a European journalist. He has produced and presented TV and radio programmes for 30 years, mainly on French TV and radio (France Télévisions, France Inter), but also for international broadcasters (Euronews, TV5 Monde, ARTE, BBC). He was Programme Director for Radio France Internationale in charge of implementing the current 24 hours news format. Parallel to journalism, he has hosted some 1 500 international conferences on a wide variety of topics, especially environmental issues. He has also written a best seller on his passion, languages, of which he speaks (more or less) 7. He also once worked as a camel trainer in a circus.

Nadira BERBIĆ
Project Coordinator at Center for Energy, Environment and Resources

Ms Berbić has an excellent track record in coordinating international projects, supported by the European Union thorough IPA Fund. She coordinated the ECO KARST project (Interreg Danube Transnational Programme), a winner of DTP Video competition and finalist of the European Natura 2000 Award. After successful coordination of ECO KARST, she continued to work within the Interreg Programme and now acts as a Local coordinator of the Green Growth project (Interreg Mediterranean) and Communication Manager of DINALPCONNECT project (Interreg ADRION). Her key focus areas are nature conservation and resource efficiency. Ms Berbić is devoted to discovering and implementing best practices that will enable mutual thriving of nature and people. Her professional passion is creating a space where pro biodiversity-business owners and circular economy-innovators can call to action young people of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Franceska KORANÇE
Founder and executive director of Build Green Group NGO

Franceska Korançe is the founder and executive director of Build Green Group NGO, located in Tirana, Albania, an NGO dedicated to Research and Environment issues locally, regionally and internationally. As per her education, she holds a Bachelor in Environment Engineering and a Bachelor in Civil Engineering, as well as a Master of Science in Environmental Urban Management. Franceska has almost 10 years of experience in the private NGO sector, working firstly as coordinator, then as Project manager and Environmental Consultant. Since January 2015, she founded Build Green Group, and from then she has been working on it as a CEO, researcher, as well as environmental specialist and consultant.

Federico PORRÀ
Policy Officer, European Commission in Brussels, in the Directorate-General for Environment

Federico Porrà works at the European Commission in Brussels, in the Directorate-General for Environment (DG ENV). He is a Policy Officer working on European policies to support and accelerate the transition towards a circular economy. He works in the implementation of the EU Circular Economy Action Plan, as well as in developing new policies in the area. Among others, he also follows EU national and regional policies for circularity, including efforts to support a green recovery. Previously, he held other positions within the European Commission, being Policy Assistant at the Directorate for Skills at DG Employment, Social Affairs, and Inclusion. Federico Porrà holds a Master’s Degree on European Affairs from Sciences Po Paris in France. He previously graduated in political science and international relations at LUISS University in Rome, Italy.

Jules STRIFFLER
Research Officer at the Kosovar think tank Balkan Forum

Jules is a Research Officer at the Kosovar think tank Balkan Forum, currently focusing on circular economy in this region. Jules first studied a Bachelor in Languages and Interculturality at the Université de Strasbourg and the University of Technology Sydney. Then, he went for an Erasmus Mundus joint Master’s degree in European Studies in Strasbourg and at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen: Euroculture. All along his path, striving for meaningful purposes has been inspiring him very much. This explains why he previously was a Political Officer trainee at the EU Delegation to the Council of Europe. Jules is fascinated by the Western Balkans. This explains why he has successively been a team member of the French Institute of Sarajevo - Francuski Institut u Bosni i Hercegovini, then of the Youth NGO Volunteers Centre Skopje - Волонтерски Центар Скопје. Also, he focused academically on this region several times. He believes sustaining and nurturing a continuous European dialogue encompassing the whole diversity of its societies is a smart move to bring evermore depth in the sense of belonging to a community with a shared destiny throughout our continent.