Knitting boundaries is a platform for raising communication between alienated groups as well as ‘bonding ties’ among them. Individuals who want to start with systematical agriculture production encounter neglected elderly population and the passive and massive diaspora. The two hold ownership rights but haven’t taken obligations. The objective is to help them find a common interest, to induce systematic peaceful solutions of disentangling conflicts among citizens over arable land.

Lastovo: remotest inhabited Adriatic archipelago, a nature park with a strong agriculture tradition.

Island communities have inequity and inequality of public services. Registrar, public notary, solicitor, cadastre office, the court of law, urban planning office are located one full day of travelling. Therefore, hardly reachable and expensive. Moreover, the distance feeds a citizen distrust.
There are various conflicts in arable land that can be grouped in 2: unknown owners who are sometimes 200 years old ancestors, indifferent numerous emigrants or ignored old population and cadastral fragmentation together with the discrepancy between the cadastral map and reality. Ownership rights, a prerequisite for any EU incentive, have been neglected.
An alternative is needed to surpass the physical distance and to disentangle conflicts referring to fertile land.

The main opposing sides are the young and elderly, islanders and emigrants.
Young tend not to come back to the island which leads to the lack of proactivity and trained farmers. The neglected elderly, the majority, is the fount of knowledge accumulated through coexistence with nature and a link with the forsaken rights and obligations. United around the idea of land consolidation, these are to find symbiosis, gain the importance and new meaning of island life.
The most numerous group are islanders who emigrated to different continents long time ago. They were denied their rights, thus also failing to assume the obligations which are crucial for the vitality of the remaining community. It is important to raise their awareness and to appeal to their inclusion and dialogue with islanders.

D.D. has experienced experts who have been working voluntarily on this idea. Through the employment, the legal and urbanistic aid will become stabile, the one islanders can count on at any time.
Civil society forums act as a consultative body in negotiation. The mandate can be specified by the mediator, the conflict parties or CSOs. The objective is to better understand how people assess the negotiation agenda. Partners will coordinate individuals by giving them all information needed for the forums.
The result of mediation is written settlement, the basis for the regulation of rights and obligations. Owners can dispose of their land, exchange it with others (for land or agricultural products), consolidate the land and start with larger, more systematic sustainable agriculture.

The process should gradually result in the reduced number of litigations, increased number of settlements in land consolidation issues, the database that is constantly updated and accessible through world wide web, increased sustainable agriculture production and organization of cooperative and maintenance of common infrastructure (roads, irrigation, electricity, etc.).

Islander hasn’t had the possibility to be an active citizen. It is already the opportunity that makes a leap towards active citizenship. Participation will induce a higher level of employment, cooperative production, the anticipation of a cohesive society. Islanders could finally articulate their needs toward government and among opposed social groups.
Since communities have self – governing tradition and are relatively small, the platform can have a direct democracy, where decision – making is truly the decision of the majority. It has the capability of structured public dialogue which will gradually generate consensus over ownership crucial for rural primary activity. Only bringing different parties to the table, sharing information and concerns can deliver solutions and outcomes.

Our mission is to set an example of good practice, an example of how knowledge and dialogue can overcome the problem of poor governance. CSOs striving to realize an idea will become the exponents of social change even when and despite the state sectors fail and do not perform their functions. We carry an authentic emotion towards the island(s) which are completely neglected and left to themselves.
It is of the utter importance for us, but also for the society to avert its destiny from complete depopulation, tradition degradation, take-over by a wild tourist market and land speculation. We want to find and advertise alternatives while still possible: by offering our knowledge to the wider community and enable its survival and development in the direction of self-sustainability.

Mediation education and training: 613.33 EUR
solicitor salary: 17,668.51 EUR
urban planner salary: 17,668.51 EUR
traveling costs: 992.00 EUR
repositorium of data
for emigrants 6,000.00 EUR
workshops and forums: 1,920.00 EUR
parties for elderly
(1 per month) 1,920.00 EUR
laptop 1,200.00 EUR
design and marketing 2,000.00 EUR

We would like to hear more about sustainability of our conception – alternative to public services, opinions and experience from other countries. Constructive criticism and suggestions are very welcomed.