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The City of Cervia has stood out for many years in the Italian and international scene for its attention to the issues of green cities and environment. Among the various initiatives, Cervia Città Giardino – Maggio in Fiore is today one of the most significant events both in Italy and in Europe for the organizations operating in the field of landscaping.

  • Green Globe

    – 1999 –  Received in London at the World Travel Market for environmental commitment.

  • “The city for the green” Award

    – 2003 – 1st Prize, Municipalities of 1st Category up to 50.000 inhabitants (2003), with the following motivation:

    “The Municipality of Cervia has been awarded for its ability to combine creativity, tourism, economic and enviromental development.

    This policy translates into floral displays “Cervia in bloom”, which, in addition to contributing to the “green heritage” of the city and allowing the collection of funds for the recovery of the landscape, it is considered a real test field, with the participation of directors and technicians of parks and gardens throughout Europe.

    Riccardo Todoli, delegate to the public green of the municipality, reports the origins of the city’s relationship with the environment back to the 60s, “with the decision to invest huge sums of money in this sector. Since then the green heritage is integrated every year, both for the creation of new spaces and the recovery of existing natural environments.”

    – 2012 – mention among municipalities of 3rd category from 15,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, with the following motivation:

    “The jury mentions the Municipality of Cervia for the quality of maintenance work on public parks and for the contents and size of the new green areas.

    The coherence between designed works and the context of insertion, their mode of implementation, which involves participatory planning dynamics arranged with the population, are important indicators of an administration sensitive to the relationship that exists between green areas, the agency that takes care of them and the end user.

    In particular, we highlight: initiatives launched by the Municipality to promote sustainable mobility, with the construction of 420 meters of bicycle lane in Via dei Mille; careful interventions to replace rows of sick trees, preceded by extensive investigations and meetings with residents; constant maintenance of the “Pineta Comunale”; commitment to educate the correct use of green areas, such as the teaching equipment installed at the “Natural Park of Cervia”.

    – 2017 – mention among municipalities of 3rd category from 15,000 to 50,000 inhabitants, with the following motivation:

    “The jury, in the “Urban Green” section, reports the Municipality of Cervia for the recovery intervention of Pinarella’s pinewood, hit by extraordinary meteorological events that have forced to cut down 2,000  damaged trees. The report intends to highlight the set of implemented coordinated activities, even experimental ones. These include the replacement of  fallen pines with as many species of trees suitable to the local environmental situation; the involvement of a local association  in search for funds to carry out a pilot intervention; multidisciplinary experimentation of interventions to combat the pine scale insect, testing the action of plant protection products and biological control methods, without neglecting the effective activity of constant communication with the citizens about implemented and in progress actions.”

  • Silver plaque of the President of the Italian Republic

    – 2003 – 2007  – Former President of the Republic, Carlo Azeglio Ciampi awarded the event “Cervia Garden City” with a silver plaque.

    – 2009 – 2014 –  Former President of the Republic, Giorgio Napolitano, has added to the plaque a specific mention: “The President of the Republic, at the … edition of the floral exhibition of “Cervia Garden City”

    He wrote in a letter “…appreciation to the prestigious initiative of the city of Cervia, which since 1972 has distinguished itself in the field of floral arrangements and, in strict respect for the environment, has achieved important nationally recognized goals in the management of public and private green.”

  • Medal of the President of the Italian Republic

    – 2015 – The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella assigns the Medal to the City of Cervia, “as his representation prize, at the 43rd edition of the Cervia Garden City floral festival”.

    – 2016 – The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella assigns the Medal to the City of Cervia, “as his representation prize, at the 44th edition of the Cervia Garden City floral festival”.

    – 2017 – The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella assigns the Medal to the City of Cervia, “as his representation prize, at the 45th edition of the Cervia Garden City floral festival”.

    – 2018 – The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella assigns the Medal to the City of Cervia, “as his representation prize, at the 46th edition of the Cervia Garden City floral festival”.

    – 2019 – The President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella assigns the Medal to the City of Cervia, “as his representation prize, at the 47th edition of the Cervia Garden City floral festival”.

  • Recognition as “Green Capital ” from the weekly magazine “Oggi”

    – 2004 – Cervia (with the locations of Milano Marittima, Pinarella and Tagliata) is recognized for the “green soul” that distinguishes it and makes it one of the most lush gardens overlooking the Adriatic Coast of Emilia Romagna, where you can immerse yourself in nature, far from the city’s rhythms and fill your eyes with splendid panoramas of great beauty.

  • 1st Prize “Gran Premio Montecelio”

    – 2007 – For local campaigns and communication activities, aimed at promoting educational behavior and informing about issues of collective interest. Cervia won the prize for the section dedicated to municipalities with less than 100,000 inhabitants, participating with the public awareness campaign to promote the green and the environment “Cervia Garden City – May in Bloom 2006”.

  • “Comuni Fioriti” Competition

    – 1st prize in the city category with over 20 thousand inhabitants of the first national competition “Comuni Fioriti”.

    Promoted by Asproflor with the partnerships of the Distretto Turistico dei Laghi, the national competition “Comuni Fioriti” is dedicated to the promotion of floral culture in public administrations.

    The goal of the initiative is to promote an enviromental culture in Italy.

    The jury of the Comuni Fioriti competition expresses its judgment every year on the basis of  evaluation commitions that during the summer visit the various participating cities.

    For the final verdict we took into account both the “blossoming” and impressions of the quality of life; overall care of the urban furniture and public buildings, urban sustainability, traffic, liveability; protection / promotion of local typicalities and the opening towards tourism.

    – From 2007 to 2014, Cervia has also won the “4 flowers” plaque, the maximum recognition that gives the possibility to add the “brand” of  “Comuni Fioriti” ,to the city’s entraces.

    – In 2008 and 2009 the jury of the “Comuni Fioriti” competition also awarded Cervia with the “Special Hospitality Award”.

    – In 2010 Cervia received another award for Hospitality and was the venue for the national award ceremony.

    – In 2013 Cervia was awarded the “Golden Flower” as the most flowery town in Italy with more than 5,000 inhabitants, it also received a plaque of recognition for the many years of collaboration and a voucher corresponding to 3.000 euros in flowers.

    – In 2015 Cervia won the first prize and the “Four golden flowers”, the highest recognition. Cervia has also received from President Renzo Marconi of Asproflor a voucher worth 2.000,00 euros of plant supplies.

    – In 2016  Cervia won the “Four flowers” for “the commitment for the recovery and conservation of the city’s monumental mulberry tree”.

    – In 2017 won the “Four flowers” and the Garden Hotel of Pinarella was also awarded with the following mention “Where the sea feels like a garden – Garden Hotel recreates small gardens on the balconies of its apartments”.

  • Entente Florale Europe

    Thanks to the the victory of the “Communities in Bloom” competition, the city of Cervia was able to represent Italy at the prestigious Entente Florale Europe competition, winning the Gold Medal on September 19, 2008 with the following motivation:

    “The International Jury of ” Entente Florale Europe” has greatly appreciated the activities of the Festival of Gardens, in particular the originality and quality of the exhibits in the mini-gardens, characterized by the opulent seasonal flowering.
    Gardens and urban green areas deserve special mention, perfectly integrated into the surrounding environment. The Natural Park, for its part, is a project of the highest interest, where numerous educational proposals support the tourism animation program, the lifeblood of the city.

    All of this is the result of the constant commitment of the Municipality and citizens of the City of Cervia. The International Jury gives the City of Cervia the gold medal.”

    Cervia, as the 2008 winner, had the honor in 2010 to be the first Italian city to host the Award Ceremony of the Entente Florale Europe competition, organized by the AEFP “Association Européenne du Fleurissement et du Paysage” the international association whose objectives are the environmental development of green and landscape  and to promote social, cultural and tourism relations among the participating organizations.

    It takes place every year in the cities that have obtained the “gold medal”. Cervia as the winner in 2008, had the honor in 2010 to host the coveted ceremony that involved 24 municipalities from Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, Slovenia and Hungary.

    A highly qualified jury selects each year municipalities across the continent and nominates them to represent their country of origin.

  • “A Forest for Kyoto” Award

    – In 2009 Cervia received the award with the following motivation: “For the constant effort to take care of and increase the public green of the city”.

    This international award is given every year to scientific and political figures who, more than others, have distinguished themselves in the defense of environment and the quality of air in their country.

    Among the award-winning personalities stand out former President Barack Obama, former President Giorgio Napolitano and Chancellor Angela Merkel, who have consolidated the excellence and visibility of the “A Forest for Kyoto” prize, polarizing the attention of the international media.

    – In 2010 Cervia became a full member of the “Friends of a Forest for Kyoto” Club receiving a special recognition, in addition to the prestigious certificate of belonging.

  • International Challenge of “Communities in Bloom”

    In 2015 The Municipality of Cervia was the winner of the International Challenge of Communities in Bloom (category from 20,000 to 50,000 inhabitants).

    October 3rd  2015 Mayor Luca Coffari and Public Green Delegate Riccardo Todoli received in Kamloops (British Columbia) the recognition of 5 flowers (the maximum) and a special mention for the “International Gardens”.

    Cervia was the first municipality from Italy to participate and compete with other international candidates coming from the US, Canada and Europe.

    The slogan of the world competition is: to develop and improve the green spaces of the community, where citizens and nature are in harmony for a “blooming” society.

    Following their evaluation and on-site visit, Judges Evelyn Alemanni and Mauro Paradisi wrote: “Cervia (Italy) located on the Adriatic coast, is appreciated for its beautiful, clean and inviting beaches. Known for its historic salt pans, Cervia is also famous for being a “garden city”.

    For over 40 years, the city has been hosting magnificent international gardens created thanks to the participation of European cities, which can be compared to an “exhibition of flowers and international installations”, which can be visited on foot or by bike through the city.

    Cervia has received the Gold Medal for the Ancient Florale Europe, the award the “City for the green” and the Blue Flag for its beaches.

    It is the first city along the Adriatic coast of Emilia-Romagna to earn ISO 14001 environmental certification “. In the context of current climate change and environmental concerns, the cities involved in the competition can be proud of their efforts, which provide real and meaningful environmental solutions for the benefit of society as a whole.