EU Mission Soil Ambassador · Keynote Speaker

Regeneration: When Sustainability Is No Longer Sustainable

Europe's leading voice on regenerative transformation - scholar, EU policy advisor, and social entrepreneur who left academia to prove regeneration works in practice.

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50+ Publications
8,000+ Citations
h-index 36 Google Scholar
Dr. Irena Ateljević - portrait photo in nature
Wageningen University EU Mission Soil Institute for Tourism Zagreb Regenerate Europe Conference Victoria University of Wellington University of Auckland

The Keynote

A transformative experience that challenges conventional sustainability thinking

Drawing on 20+ years of academic research, social entrepreneurship, and lived experience across five continents, Irena delivers a powerful message: sustainability as we know it is not enough. We need regeneration - an approach that doesn't just sustain, but actively restores and renews our world.

EU Green Deal & Regenerative Tourism

How the European Green Deal is reshaping tourism and rural economies - and why regenerative approaches offer the most credible path from policy ambition to lived reality on the ground.

Regeneration in the Age of AI

Artificial intelligence is accelerating everything - including extraction. But what happens when we point that same power toward regeneration? A provocation on using AI as a tool for ecological and social renewal, not just efficiency.

Regeneration & Public Policy

Regeneration doesn't scale through mandates - it spreads through communities. How to engage local governments, mobilize grassroots networks, and build policy from the bottom up rather than the top down.

Regeneration & Personal Transformation

Understanding the shift from sustainability to regeneration through personal stories and the Terra Meera journey.

Regenerating Our Lifestyles

Deep dive into degenerative vs. regenerative lifestyles, personal impact assessment, and deep ecology principles.

Applied Regeneration at Scale

Case studies of successful regenerative initiatives worldwide, inspired by Vandana Shiva and Joanna Macy.

"Irena educates, inspires, and sparks transformation in others as a mentor, insightful keynote speaker, and community builder."

- Dingle Peninsula Regenerative Tourism Conference

About Irena

Dr. Irena Ateljević speaking at the Regenerate Europe Conference

Of Croatian origin, Dr. Irena Ateljević has lived around the world for over 20 years. She obtained her PhD in Human Geography at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, and spent 12 years teaching there before moving to Wageningen University in the Netherlands - one of the world's top sustainability institutions.

A co-founder of the Critical Tourism Studies network and the 'Academy of Hope' concept, Irena has co-edited 3 books and published over 50 scientific journal articles, accumulating over 8,000 citations.

In 2011, feeling that sustainability teaching had become mostly about 'talking-the-walk' rather than 'walking-the-talk,' Irena left her academic tenure and returned to Croatia to build real-world regenerative projects.

She founded Terra Meera, a center for regeneration near Krka National Park; Regenerate Europe, an annual conference platform; SHE - Šibenik Hub for Ecology, a women-led organic bistro; and most recently Ajmo Lokalno, a digital platform connecting local food producers with consumers.

Terra Meera Regenerate Europe Ajmo Lokalno

Applied Regeneration

Irena's real-world projects that put regenerative principles into practice

Aerial view of Phoenix Arbor regenerative campus plan on Murter Island
NGO 2011 - present

Udruga Phoenix Arbor

Murter Island, Croatia

Irena's first step from academia to action. Upon returning to Croatia in 2011, she co-founded Feniks - Udruga za Razvoj Ljudskih Potencijala i Inovativne Akcije (Association for Human Potential and Innovative Actions) on her native island of Murter. The association developed Phoenix Arbor - a visionary plan to transform an abandoned Austro-Hungarian military compound on Raduc hill into an international campus for sustainable development, regenerative education, and social entrepreneurship. The project received recognition from the Council of Europe and the Croatian Ministry of Tourism, and was developed as a public-private partnership with the Municipality of Murter-Kornati. Phoenix Arbor laid the groundwork for all of Irena's subsequent ventures - pioneering the community-first, bottom-up approach that would become her signature methodology.

SHE Bistro outdoor terrace in Sibenik's historic old town
Social Enterprise 2016 - 2020

SHE - Sibenik Hub for Ecology

Old Town Sibenik, Croatia

A women-led organic bistro and cultural hub in Sibenik's medieval old town. SHE served exclusively plant-based, locally sourced dishes alongside educational workshops, talks, and community events. The bistro sourced produce from local organic farms, featured a rooftop bar with sea views, and hosted an atelier for creative and wellness activities. Over four years, SHE became a vibrant gathering point for the local community and travelers alike, while also advocating for urban regeneration through initiatives like green waste projects and urban gardening. When it came time to expand the vision, the project transitioned into Terra Meera - moving from urban hub to rural regeneration center near Krka National Park.

Regenerate Europe Conference group photo with attendees
Conference 2023 - present

Regenerate Europe

Sibenik-Knin County, Croatia

An annual gathering of regenerative thought leaders, entrepreneurs, farmers, and changemakers from across Europe and beyond. Co-organized with Aspira University of Applied Sciences, the conference bridges visionary thinking and actionable solutions through keynotes, Open Space Technology workshops, and hands-on sessions. The inaugural 2023 edition was held at Aspira University College in Split; the 2024 conference moved to the Krka Eco-Campus in Puljane, at the gates of Krka National Park. Speakers have included UNESCO-affiliated professors, regenerative farmers from Greece and the Netherlands, climate policy advisors, and award-winning local chefs - with community dinners showcasing regenerative gastronomy as a living model.

Visit Regenerate Europe
Ajmo Lokalno local food producers and fresh produce from Dalmatia
Pilot Project 2024 - present

Ajmo Lokalno

Sibenik-Knin County, Croatia

"Let's Go Local" - a flagship pilot project of Sibenik-Knin County, designed and executed by Irena Ateljević and Tomislav Skarica through Terra Meera. Ajmo Lokalno is building the first short food supply chain network in Dalmatia, connecting local food producers, restaurants, and consumers through a digital platform. The project addresses a systemic challenge: Croatia imports roughly 90% of its food despite having fertile land and dedicated small farmers. Through months of fieldwork across the county, the team onboarded 40+ producers - from olive oil makers and winemakers to organic farmers and artisan cheesemakers. Partnering with the Krka-Kistanje Rural Business Incubator as a logistics hub, the platform launched in 2025 with curated tasting boxes, direct producer-to-chef supply lines, and educational content promoting regenerative farming and agrobiodiversity.

Visit Ajmo Lokalno

What Colleagues Say

"Irena is one of those rare academics who didn't just write about transformation - she went out and lived it. When she left Wageningen to build regenerative projects in Croatia, many of us thought she was taking a huge risk. Instead, she created a living laboratory that produces insights no university ever could. Her ability to bridge rigorous scholarship with hands-on community work is something I deeply admire."

Prof. Arjen Wals
Prof. Arjen Wals Professor of Transformative Learning for Socio-Ecological Sustainability, Wageningen University UNESCO Chair of Social Learning and Sustainable Development

"I arrived at Regenerate Europe expecting another conference. I left with a collaborator and a friend. What struck me about Irena is how she dissolves the usual boundaries between disciplines, between theory and practice, between local and global. In two days she connected climate scientists, farmers, and policymakers in ways that most international institutions struggle to do in years. That is a rare and necessary talent."

Dr. Luis Fernandez Carril
Dr. Luis Fernandez Carril Tecnologico de Monterrey Lead Author, IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change

Ways to Work Together

From conference keynotes to immersive regeneration experiences

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What to Expect

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Typical Engagements

Irena speaks at EU institutions, academic conferences, corporate sustainability summits, municipal workshops, and regenerative tourism gatherings. Events range from 30-minute keynotes to 3-day immersive experiences.

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