Community festival and event organisers are being invited to participate in a training programme inspired by the success of the Green Fleadh - an environmental initiative rolled out to 450,000 visitors to Ennis during Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann.
Clare Tourism, supported by Clare County Council, today (21 August) launched the Green Festival Ambassador and Leader programme, which organisers say is the first of its kind in Ireland.
A series of introductory training sessions for festival organisers on how to minimise the environmental impact of such events by reducing waste, carbon emissions, and water and energy use will be hosted throughout Clare over the coming weeks. From these sessions, 10 festivals will be selected for localised Green Festival Ambassador training after which additional in-depth training will be provided to identified Green Leaders.
"As well as being the first of its kind in the country, this innovative training programme will benefit Clare and will be a template going forward for festival and events in communities across the County," said Maurice Walsh, Chair of Clare Tourism.
Walsh continued: "This programme will train community festival organisers in a range of skills that will establish credibility in green festivals and enable the various festivals to address the challenges associated with becoming more environmentally sustainable. Clare Tourism is delighted to be playing its part in helping to reduce the environmental impact of events that attract large gatherings of people in one location."
Gerard Dollard, Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Services, Clare County Council, outlined that the greening of festivals has "very significant environmental benefits to the local community, as well as cost reduction benefits for the festival organisers and associated businesses."
News by Bloomberg - edited by Hospitality Ireland
