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INNOMED-UP: United for Circular Economy in the Medina of Tunis
The municipality of Tunis organized, a seminar on Tuesday 28th of July 2020 as part of the INNOMED-UP. During the seminar, SWOT & PEST analysis of circular economy situation in Tunis the capital were presented, as a result of the INNOMED-UP field survey in the Medina of Tunis. The seminar was attended by 40 people and took place at the municipality.
The event started with Mme Tlili presenting a project overview, followed by field survey results and an invitation to all attendance to partner in converting circular economy opportunities into socio-economic opportunities. ANGED (national waste management agency) presented private public partnership opportunities to improve municipal waste management, and also highlighted the benefits of a potential municipal composting system.
The 2 private sector national unions, UTICA and CONECT, both were invited to share their views, and both were positive and open to collaborate in the fields of consumption awareness, waste sorting initiatives, and collaborations in the field of informal waste recycling sector reform.
Civil society was represented by ‘Tunisie Recyclage’, as well as the 2 most important Medina based NGO’s: Art Rue and Collectif Creative. Mdinti, the newly established economic interest group in the Medina, was also invited. Important opportunities for public awareness in waste sorting, environmental education in schools and potentially composting stations in specific chosen areas in the medina of Tunis, were discussed, but also start-ups in the ecological field were present to share their business model and business sustainability challenges.
Final Ministry of higher education and scientific research, presented more good news, through current research centres in the environment and circular economy sector, and a wide range of potential collaborations to assist the municipality in improving circular economy opportunities and prototype other identified potential start-up ideas.
Seminar program was very rich, and ended with important collaboration opportunities in circular economy between the Municipality and all invited speakers. The event was followed by an important debate around artisan know-how repurposing; the medina of Tunis, the geographic focus of INNOMED-UP in Tunis, is home to many talented master artisans in many craft fields, and it would be valuable for the project to develop new ways to invest in their know-how and improve their livelihoods.