Mission4Water brings two days of collaboration and public dialogue to Skopje 30/31.10.2025
On 30–31 October 2025, the Textile Trade Association – Textile Cluster (TTA-TC) hosted the Mission4Water community in Skopje for two complementary events: a a consortium meeting and a public roundtable and matchmaking event held during Fashion Weekend Skopje.
Day one gathered the partners at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia to align on priorities, share progress, and prepare the next steps for cross-border cooperation. Sessions covered knowledge exchange, networking with related initiatives, stakeholder engagement for the coming months, and planning for collaborative innovation activities. The atmosphere was practical and solution-oriented, with clear next actions agreed among the partners.
Day two opened to the wider public at the Diamond of Skopje (Carat Office). After welcome remarks by Marijana Perkovska, President of the Textile Trade Association – Textile Cluster (TTA-TC), Blerim Zllatku, State Advisor at the Ministry of Economy, and Daniela Ristova, representative of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, underscored the national commitment to sustainable industry and water protection. Across two moderated sessions, the project partners from Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo (HEIS), Elettrotecnica ROLD (ROLD), Milieukontakt Albania (MiA), University of Zagreb (UNIZAG-FSB), Istrian Development Agency (IDA), PlanetCare, and Zero Waste Montenegro (ZWMNE), shared insights on wastewater, microplastics from textiles, knowledge transfer, circular design, the strategic role of innovation in SMEs, as well as consumer behaviour and community engagement.
The Textile Trade Association – Textile Cluster (TTA-TC) also invited external contributors to add practice-based perspectives: Business Accelerator UKIM (BAU) outlined support pathways and EIT opportunities for early-stage innovation; Albatros and Blackbello (apparel SMEs) shared how material choices and circular design practices can reduce impacts; and the Local Community Development Foundation – Shtip presented findings on textile waste in North Macedonia.
The combined roundtable and matchmaking format surfaced concrete examples already underway in the region, catalysed new connections, and closed with open Q&A and networking.
What’s next? Mission4Water invites SMEs, researchers, public bodies, and NGOs to team up on concrete projects that reduce water pollution in the Adriatic–Ionian region. If you have an idea and want to explore collaboration, you can express interest and our team will help you shape it. See the latest “Open Call for Innovative Projects” here:
Day one gathered the partners at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia to align on priorities, share progress, and prepare the next steps for cross-border cooperation. Sessions covered knowledge exchange, networking with related initiatives, stakeholder engagement for the coming months, and planning for collaborative innovation activities. The atmosphere was practical and solution-oriented, with clear next actions agreed among the partners.
Day two opened to the wider public at the Diamond of Skopje (Carat Office). After welcome remarks by Marijana Perkovska, President of the Textile Trade Association – Textile Cluster (TTA-TC), Blerim Zllatku, State Advisor at the Ministry of Economy, and Daniela Ristova, representative of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, underscored the national commitment to sustainable industry and water protection. Across two moderated sessions, the project partners from Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI), Hydro-Engineering Institute Sarajevo (HEIS), Elettrotecnica ROLD (ROLD), Milieukontakt Albania (MiA), University of Zagreb (UNIZAG-FSB), Istrian Development Agency (IDA), PlanetCare, and Zero Waste Montenegro (ZWMNE), shared insights on wastewater, microplastics from textiles, knowledge transfer, circular design, the strategic role of innovation in SMEs, as well as consumer behaviour and community engagement.
The Textile Trade Association – Textile Cluster (TTA-TC) also invited external contributors to add practice-based perspectives: Business Accelerator UKIM (BAU) outlined support pathways and EIT opportunities for early-stage innovation; Albatros and Blackbello (apparel SMEs) shared how material choices and circular design practices can reduce impacts; and the Local Community Development Foundation – Shtip presented findings on textile waste in North Macedonia.
The combined roundtable and matchmaking format surfaced concrete examples already underway in the region, catalysed new connections, and closed with open Q&A and networking.
What’s next? Mission4Water invites SMEs, researchers, public bodies, and NGOs to team up on concrete projects that reduce water pollution in the Adriatic–Ionian region. If you have an idea and want to explore collaboration, you can express interest and our team will help you shape it. See the latest “Open Call for Innovative Projects” here: