The green transition in the Mediterranean is taking shape in Ferla, Sicily, where CARDIMED and URWAN are working together to create a powerful example of project synergy. At the heart of this collaboration lies sub-DEMO4.2: the Wall2Water (green wall for greywater treatment and reuse) at the Valle dell’Anapo school. Originally built under the NAWAMED ENI CBC MED project, it is now a shared demonstrator of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for both projects.
In March, SVI.MED. , the Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Sustainable Development and IRIDRA launched a dynamic co-design journey in Ferla framed by the URWAN project, which is fully aligned with CARDIMED’s mission to validate NbS for climate resilience across the Mediterranean. Using the Start Park methodology, residents of all ages participated in redesigning Aldo Moro Square, transforming the public space adjacent to the Wall2Water into an example of sustainable urban regeneration. This approach combined gamification, art and environmental education to empower the community to imagine and co-create climate-adaptive urban landscapes.
The two-day workshop, held during World Water Day 2025, mobilised the entire community, particularly the students, who came up with new ideas for uses and layouts inspired by NbS systems. These ideas were later brought to life through hands-on activities, such as creating artistic wall decorations, playing outdoor games, installing biodiversity features and making seed bombs (all using recycled materials).
This process culminated in a powerful example of citizen science and environmental stewardship, enhanced by the involvement of local creatives from Collettivo Ocra. As the CARDIMED and URWAN projects evolve, Ferla emerges as a model for how locally rooted initiatives can foster climate resilience across the Mediterranean region. With SVI.MED. and the Municipality of Ferla leading the way, this collaborative effort reaffirms the importance of integrated, community-driven solutions in tackling shared regional issues.
