ZEN. Zero-Impact Cultural Heritage Event Network
Final conference
Vilnius Local Implementation Plan
Gintaras Sodeika, Advisor to the Vilnius City Mayor
Perugia, 11 September 2014
01
One of the main goals of Vilnius City Municipal Government Administration –
to assure the growth of sustainable development in the city by disseminating
information, educating the society and applying best practice examples.
Impact of events on Vilnius
city
Factors influencing sustainable event organization:
• EU and national strategic goals and priorities
(growing attention to sustainable
development)
• Increasing domestic and international
tourism
• Concentration of SMEs in Vilnius
• Economic revitalization and growing interest
in culture
• Absence of a national document that
regulates the process of event organization
Guidelines for event organizers
and participants – an important
part of Local Implementation
Plan, adding value to Vilnius
city.
Guidelines for
event organizers
Three-stage process of event organization
Planning:
Identify potential impacts and issues
Define targets and develop action plan
Implementation:
Deliver actions and record progress
Communicate achievements
Measuring success:
Document outcomes
Feedback
Guidelines have been
prepared for each stage
separately
Stage 1
Strategic
planning
Prepare
implementation plan
Re-think
marketing
strategy
Foster social
cohesion
Select right
service
providers
Planning
Team
building
Identify right
partners and
sponsors
Train
volunteers
Assign
responsibilities
Coordinate
process
Transport
Offer ticket
discounts for
travelling with
public
transport
Think about
car and bike
parking
Warn
participants
about the
traffic
Maximize use
of shared
transport
Venue of
the event
Organize noisy
events in nonresidential
areas
Consider
needs of local
residents
Assure
mobility for
the disabled
Consult with
experts
(regarding
cultural
heritage)
Catering
provision
Encourage
and support
local
businesses
Provide
options to
cater for
diverse
dietary, ethnic
and cultural
needs
Offer local,
seasonal, nonfrozen
products
Use of
resources
Use eco light
bulbs
Use
ecological,
recyclable
materials
Use water
dispensing
machines
Print in black
and white
Waste
management
Avoid plastic
bags,
minimize
packaging
Encourage
participants to
sort waste
Use bio-toilets
and portable
washbasins
Use ecological
cleaning
materials
Stage 2
During the event in action:
•
•
•
•
Inform the society about sustainable event principles
Assure that team members are well-prepared to do their job
Monitor venue of the event
Take notes, write down comments about the progress of the event
Stage 3 – measuring success
• Provide sustainability facts and figures in the
final report
• Organize the discussion with the team about the
event
• Communicate results to the society, integrate
sustainability messaging into press releases
• Use recyclable paper to prepare the report
• Use special labels, display signage detailing the
measures undertaken
Guidelines for the
participants
01
Participants have an opportunity not only to change their daily habits –
they are recipients of the service and, therefore, can make a strong
impact on the way event is organized.
Guidelines for the participants
Before event
• Read about the concept of sustainable development
• Find out information about parking and alternative ways of travelling
• Read event programme in advance (in this case you will not need printed booklets)
• Choose that event, which complies with sustainable event principles (express your civil position by participating in a
particular event)
During event
• Avoid using disposable glass
• Choose products sold by local producers
• Ask for tap water when dining, fill empty bottles with tap water instead of throwing them away
• If possible, use public or shared transport
• In hotel choose an option to reuse towels the second day
• Avoid purchasing goods with a lot of packaging, do not use plastic bags
• Make sure light is off when you are leaving
• Preserve cultural heritage
• Be tolerant to different societal groups
After event
• Provide the feedback
• Evaluate the event by answering such questions as: Were you informed about responsible behavior / sustainable
development? Were you told about where to buy ecological food? Was a safe car / bike parking organized?
Sustainable events: Local implementation plan (1)
1. To disseminate the information about sustainable event guidelines (target group –
event organizers)
1.1. To organize informative events, presenting results
of ZEN Project to event organizers.
1.2. To disseminate information about sustainable
event guidelines via internet.
1.3. To motivate event organizers to apply sustainable
event guidelines by communicating benefits of
such events.
1.4. To organize educational seminars that are directly
related to strengthening capabilities of event
organizers.
Sustainable events: Local implementation plan (2)
2. To educate the society about sustainable participation in the events.
2.1. To organize informative events, educating the society about sustainable
development and guidelines for the participants.
2.2. To disseminate information via Ministries of the Republic of Lithuania,
strengthening inter-institutional and inter-sectoral cooperation.
2.3. To develop an intensive communication campaign on the internet by
involving cultural centres, NGOs, civil and youth organisations.
2.4. To integrate messages about sustainable development into the programme
of the events.
Sustainable events: Local implementation plan (3)
3. To implement an intensive training programme for event organizers.
3.1. To identify local sustainable development experts,
who could prepare the training programme.
3.2. To organize training for the event organizers.
3.3. To assign a responsible person who would consult
event organizers on sustainable development
issues.
3.4. To do case studies of large events in Vilnius.
Sustainable events: Local implementation plan (4)
4. To initiate changes in cultural policy and legislative framework.
4.1. To define and approve procedures regulating process of event organization.
4.2. To include the concept of sustainable development into the documents that regulate
process of event organization.
4.3. To form a working group of event organizers in order to improve sustainable event
guidelines.
4.4. To encourage special labelling of initiatives that comply with sustainable
development principles.
4.5. To introduce a requirement to comply with sustainable development principles for all
events that are funded by Vilnius city municipality or Lithuanian Council of Culture.
4.6. To make decisions that would help to improve the regulation of event organization.
4.7. To organize a discussion of Vilnius county municipalities in order to uniform legal acts
that regulate event organization.
4.8. To create a database of responsible organizations / companies.
Sustainable events: Local implementation plan (5)
5. To engage in event monitoring and evaluation.
5.1. To form the committee for the evaluation of the
events.
5.2. To implement sustainable event development
programme.
5.3. To organize annual awards for the most sutainable
(green) initiatives and events.
5.4. To cooperate with the association of responsible
businesses (LAVA) and Lithuanian network of
responsible businesses and providers (LARTA).
Unawareness does not excuse from responsibility –
these guidelines will be used to introduce sustainable development principles to the
society, to educate them about potential negative impact of the events and to inspire
them to create a nicer, safer and a more sustainable future.
Thank you for your attention