In November, Opatija again becomes a central meeting place for experts, entrepreneurs, representatives of public administration and academia active in the field of sustainable development, energy transition and innovation.
Conference INSPIRA LEADER 3 - Inspiration for Smart Communities will take place 10 and 11 November 2025 u Conference Park 25/7 Opatija. This is the third edition of the conference, which has become one of the most important national stakeholder gatherings dedicated to developing smart, green and inclusive communities;.
The conference is organized LEADER network of Croatia, the umbrella association of local action groups; and fisheries group, in cooperation with partners: LAG Terra Liburna, the LAGUR Vela Vrata, the Croatian Network for Rural Development, EUROPE DIRECT Rijeka and us, the Rijeka Development Agency Porin.
This year we brought together stakeholders who share a common goal, which is to strengthen the resilience, self-sustainability and innovation of rural, island and coastal communities throughout Croatia.
Focus on concrete solutions
This year's edition focuses on Applicable models and practical solutions from the area of:
- Smart mobility
- energy efficiency
- Digitalisation of sustainable agriculture
- Innovative Entrepreneurship
Participants are looking forward to a series of lectures, panel discussions, workshops and interactive content that will offer answers to key issues of the green and digital transition in local communities.
Programme and lecturers
The opening ceremony of the conference will be led by Marko Vešligaj, Member of the European Parliament, known for his commitment to sustainable agriculture, healthy diets and a fairer distribution of European funds.
Among the lecturers are:
- Assoc. prof. dr. sc. Vedran Kirinčić, Faculty of Engineering in Rijeka
- Ugo Toić, Director of OTRA Island Development Agency
- dr. sc. Antun Pfeifer, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture in Zagreb
- Robert Hadžić, Director of ViridisFarm-AS d.o.o.
- dr. sc. Sergej Lugović, Founder of the concept Only Plants
A special part of the program is DEMO Zone i Smart Ideas Salon, which will present a number of innovative projects in the areas of sustainable food production, smart technology and eco-innovation. Projects such as LOGREENER, a tool for planning the local energy transition, and 3DOP, which illustrates the application of additive technologies in production processes.
A place where ideas become solutions
The INSPIRA LEADER 3 conference continues the tradition of connecting experts from the public, private, scientific and civil sectors who together shape the future of local communities. Through cooperation, dialogue and knowledge exchange, the conference encourages the development of smart, green and sustainable environments.
More information is available at here, and you can apply here.
