Tartu’s Food Assembly revisited in “Green Stories, European Voices” podcast
A new episode of the podcast Green Stories, European Voices, highlights how citizens in Tartu helped shape a more sustainable food system through a one-day Food Assembly. Though the event took place some time ago, the lessons remain relevant, showing how local participation can bring the goals of the European Green Deal into everyday life.
Part of the PHOENIX Horizon Europe project, the podcast series travels across 10 European regions to highlight real-life democratic innovations — from climate assemblies to local initiatives — that often go unnoticed but offer meaningful contributions to a greener, fairer future.
In the episode titled “Make it Circular: Creating a Food Circular Economy Network,” Kristina Reinsalu, Senior Expert at the e-Governance Academy, shares how the Tartu pilot was co-designed and implemented. The Food Assembly brought together 33 local residents from different backgrounds to discuss everyday practices around food, waste, and sustainability. The goal was not just to raise awareness, but to support real behaviour change through community dialogue.
“Food is an emotional and personal topic,” Kristina explains in the episode. “It helped people connect broader environmental goals with their own lives.”
The event itself was short — just one day — but carefully prepared. It was co-created by the City of Tartu, eGA, and an advisory group of local experts, civil society, and academics. The methodology was developed in collaboration with an advisory board as part of the PHOENIX project’s co-design approach, ensuring that the structure of the event matched the local context and citizen needs.
To recruit participants, the team used an open call supported by a city-wide outreach campaign through schools, newspapers, and social media. While not a statistically representative sample, the group reflected a diversity of voices and offered honest, practical perspectives.
During the event, discussions were held using the World Café format — a method that allows participants to rotate between themed tables and engage in small group conversations. This format ensured that everyone could contribute to each topic and build on ideas from others. Experts and facilitators from the advisory board also supported the discussions, bringing in different angles and ensuring a balanced process.
One of the key insights from the episode is how people, once engaged, were often surprised at how much they could change. Many acknowledged their own wasteful habits, and the day of discussion helped them see where small shifts were possible.
In the latter part of the episode, Jaanus Tamm, Project Manager at the City Government of Tartu, reflects on how the participatory approach used for the Food Assembly could be extended to other areas of city planning, such as sustainable energy or mobility.
“We’re already thinking of using this model again,” he says. “It’s simple, emotional, and effective.”
Why it matters
The Tartu pilot is just one example of the participatory methods tested under the PHOENIX project. As the European Green Deal advances, projects like this show the value of involving people directly in shaping the transition. It’s not just about policies — it’s about habits, choices, and shared responsibility.
The insights from Tartu are now feeding into broader discussions across Europe.
