What happens when young minds and experienced voices come together to rethink urban spaces? That’s exactly how the first Grey2Green session began at the One Earth Centre, Moratuwa.
The session kicked off with an energetic icebreaker, where participants teamed up across age and experience to suggest one green change for a given space. The ideas flowed quickly from plants as natural noise barriers along busy roads, to edible gardens and green walls, setting the tone for a session rooted in creativity and practical thinking.
The momentum continued with a key presentation by Ms. Saduni Alahendra, Researcher in Urban Trees and Forestry, Colombo Municipal Council, as she shared valuable insights on urban greening, highlighting what to watch out for when designing green spaces in cities, and deepening participants’ understanding of urban forestry. The presentation was delivered in both English and Sinhala, enabling wider participation and engagement.
The Q&A was particularly fruitful, giving us a chance to hear the audience’s perspective as they shared feedback, reflected on progress, and discussed challenges and the way forward for urban greening efforts.
The session concluded with another hands-on group activity, this time applying the knowledge from the presentation. Teams worked on different spaces, from temple grounds to university environments using drawing, planning, and design skills to decide which plants should go where. Each choice came with clear reasoning, highlighting the importance of thoughtful plant selection in creating greener, more sustainable urban spaces, with insights from our presenter to suggest improvements or better plant choices where needed.
Overall, the session was highly effective, engaging, and practical, setting a strong foundation for what’s to come.
Stay tuned! Details of the next Grey2Green session will be shared soon.
