The development of a resilient city pleasant for the life of citizens of all ages and meeting their needs is one of the goals of the city. Thus, within the project, the Sarajevo exemplar was created, as first nature-based solution, which will provide the inhabitants of the city a place for relaxation, entertainment, learning and play, not forgetting one specific target group -people with special needs - children with intellectual and/or physical disabilities.
The Sarajevo exemplar idea is to create urban garden and sensory park within the Secondary Vocational Education and Training School which will have multifunctional purposes and will be opened to all citizens, but it would be adjusted to special target groups.
The exemplar will have double purpose:
1) it would provide multipurpose area for the pupils of the School (urban garden will be used for learning and sensory park will be used for developing motoric skills of the pupils)
2) it would include numerous activities for various target groups in order to provide societal, economic and environmental benefits, but also to contribute to solving issues of Sarajevo.
As a result of the joint work of the Sarajevo Economic Region Development Agency and the City of Sarajevo in applying the CN Framework, the exemplar is developed which satisfy more factors: it is in line with local, city and cantonal plans (as wider objective), it is in line with EU recommendations, contributes to health and well-being, can contribute in solving Sarajevo’s issues (pollution, lack of green areas in the urban area), it promotes importance of the green zones in everyday’s life of the city habitants and it is also focused on inclusive approach to the children with disabilities/marginalised groups and their integration into society.
The exemplar is developed with huge support of the project partners, by listening, learning and exchanging ideas and experiences. As a key tool Connecting Nature Framework was applied in defining all 7 elements of the Sarajevo exemplar.
The Framework helped the Sarajevo team in communication, better defining ideas, involvement of relevant stakeholders and engagement of the people in the process of the exemplar development, which contributed to the exemplar with multiple elements and purpose.
