On 15–16 October 2025, Out of the Box Europe took part in the Second Institutional Policy Dialogue of the Interreg Euro-MED Green Living Areas Mission in Brussels.
The event brought together Mediterranean cities, regions, and experts to discuss how local innovation and community engagement can accelerate the green transition.
Representing Out of the Box Europe, Marko Paunović contributed insights from the Green B-LEAF project, which promotes Green Participatory Budgeting as a practical way for rural and small municipalities to connect climate action with democratic participation.
“Green B-LEAF shows that when citizens are part of decision-making, climate solutions become more creative, realistic, and locally rooted.
Our goal is to make participation a cornerstone of green policy across the Mediterranean,”
said Marko Paunović, General Manager of Out of the Box Europe.
During the dialogue, participants shared policy tools and local success stories—from sustainable mobility hubs to energy-community models—showing how municipalities can learn from each other and scale up what works.
For Out of the Box Europe, participation in this policy exchange reinforces the project’s vision: empowering communities to take ownership of climate resilience through inclusive, transparent, and data-driven local governance.
The insights gathered will feed directly into Green B-LEAF’s Transnational Network and Community of Practice, ensuring that lessons from local pilots inform wider Euro-MED policy debates and strengthen cooperation among Mediterranean territories.
