Urban Oasis Award launched to promote greener urban spaces

The Gibraltar Horticultural Society, in partnership with the Gibraltar Sustainable Building Group, has launched the Urban Oasis Award, a community competition aimed at encouraging residents, businesses, schools and organisations to transform public-facing spaces into greener and more sustainable urban environments.

The initiative is guided by the ethos “every door a garden, every street an oasis” and invites entries for balconies, windowsills, courtyards, façades, offices and shopfronts.

The organisers say the competition highlights how individual actions can contribute to wider environmental improvements, including better air quality, increased biodiversity and enhanced wellbeing across Gibraltar.

The Minister for the Environment, John Cortes, said: “I am really excited by this initiative, which would encourage the community to introduce more greenery in our urban areas.”

“This coincides with a number of other recent and forthcoming initiatives which will contribute tom greatly beautifying and brightening up Gibraltar, together with all the benefits that green areas bring.”

Bruno Campos, Managing Director of Casais Gibraltar, said: “As builders of Gibraltar’s future, we believe meaningful change also begins with initiatives like the Urban Oasis Award.”
“By greening everyday spaces, we bring people closer to the planet and strengthen sustainability as the guiding force of our mission to help shape a more prosperous and healthier Gibraltar.”
Annabelle Mor-Codali, Chief Executive Officer of the Gibraltar Horticultural Society, said: “The Urban Oasis Award is about empowering people to take pride in their surroundings and showing that everyone can play a role in making Gibraltar greener.”

“Whether it's a single balcony, a business frontage, or an entire street working together, every plant counts.”

The organisers said a key feature of the award is the collaboration it has generated across a wide range of sectors, including horticulture, sustainability, construction, design, education, community development and business. They added that greener urban environments support health, climate resilience, economic activity and social connection.

The competition is open to individuals, families, estates, streets, businesses, charities and community groups across Gibraltar.

The categories are residential individual, residential estate, block or street, office, and shopfront or commercial entrance.

Registration opens on November 1, 2025 and closes on March 1, 2026. Judging will take place between March and April 2026, with winners to be announced on April 14, 2026 at the Gibraltar Spring Flower Show Awards Ceremony.

Full competition details, entry requirements, and judging criteria are available on the Society’s website: http://www.gibraltarhorticulturalsociety.com or Instagram: @Urban.Oasis.Award