Danube Day 2014
Danube Day 2014
The 11th Danube Day was a mammoth celebration of the people and rivers of the Danube Basin. The ICPDR-led event paid tribute to 20 years of international cooperation since the signing of the 1994 Danube River Protection Convention. At events in 14 countries, thousands of people raised a smile, a cheer, a paint brush, a paddle or a tapping foot for their rivers. Around 500 government offices, businesses and NGOs organised actions – fostering a sense of Danube pride, solidarity and responsibility. The day was also a time for reflection and commemoration following catastrophic floods in 2013 and 2014.
The ICPDR would like to thank all the organisations involved in Danube Day 2014. Visit www.danubeday.org to find out more about events and organisers.
GERMANY
Promoting rivers and securing
sustainable management were
priorities at events in Deggendorf,
Neuburg, Ingolstadt, Rottenacker
and Ulm. The theme of
Bavaria’s State Garden Show was
the sustainable river: Minister
Huber presented a €135,000
smartphone ‘Donau App’.
While in Baden-Württemberg, a
€250,000 upstream fish migration
facility was opened at Rottenacker
HEP Plant
© Bavarian Ministry
of the Environment and Consumer
Protection
AUSTRIA
Vienna’s Museumsquartier
was transformed into a Danube
extravaganza of theatre, science
and street performance. Hosted
by the Environment Ministry
and City of Vienna, children
got face-to-face with snakes,
amphibians and fish and
zoomed around games to win
an eco-rally. Across Austria,
camaraderie and inspiration
were shared in the ‘Danube
Challenge’ and ‘Art Master’
contests
© Danube Day Austria /
Matthias Hombauer
CROATIA
With a reduced programme due to
flooding, Kopaèki rit held the main
event: an eco-fair, boat trips and youth
dance show. Finalists in Green Osijek’s
‘Art Master’ were treated to canoe,
sculpture and drumming workshops,
and a trip to the Mura-Drava-Danube
Biosphere Reserve.
© Zeleni Osijek
THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Environment Ministry staff waved
goodbye to the ‘Danube Day United’
flag as it resumed its 14-year tour of
the 14 basin countries, travelling next
to Germany. A symbol of cross-border
solidarity, the flag features 14 fish in
national colours.
SERBIA
Following the devastating floods, the Republic
Directorate for Water launched a flood relief
campaign with billboards across Belgrade. They announced
creation of seven educational Danube Eco
Parks for seven cities by 2020. Festivals took place
from Banoštor to Negotin including a Romanian-
Serbian Bike Fest in Kladovo run by the Danube
Competence Centre and local partners.
HUNGARY
A conference on river basin management
issues was held in Budapest by the Ministry
of Interior and Ministry of Agriculture to raise
awareness among professionals and the public.
Kopaszi Dam saw games, yoga, theatre, water
experiments and great music at an event run
by MindSpace and Coca-Cola Hungary. City
authorities along with the General Directorate
of Water Management and North Transdanubian
Water Directorate also brought Danube
Day to Győr, where 1200 visitors took part.
© Csattos Pál
SLOVAKIA
Boat trips; dance; a wandering water sprite
and demonstrations of river search and rescue
dogs, electric cars and sturgeon delighted
crowds at a central festival in Devín. Organised
by Vodohospodárska výstavba and the
Environment Ministry, the programme was
introduced by celebrity Roman Bomboš.
MONTENEGRO
A riverbank clean-up in Bijelo Polje brought
together residents, fishermen, environmentalists
and kayakers from Montenegro and Serbia
to clear rubbish from the Lim River.
BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
With widespread flooding in May,
Ekotim’s ‘Art Master’ contest brought a
little cheer to families affected. Instead
of a celebration, extra prizes were given
to children who’d lost their homes
and possessions. Entries supplied a
cornucopia of animals; but it was a
rubbish-collecting robot that scooped
top prize!
© Ekotim
UKRAINE
Organisers in the Carpathian and Delta
regions included Zakarpattya Oblast Organization
of the All-Ukrainian Ecological
League with Coca-Cola Beverages, river
authorities, local communities, NGOs and
sports clubs. Baranintsi held a ‘Battle of
Plastic!’ clean-up campaign; in Kvasovo, an
attempt at creating Ukraine’s largest map
and the opening of a drill-hole and ‘Alley
of Divine Heroes’ took place; while in
Pryslip, the source of the Rika was restored.
© Ostap Tsapulych
ROMANIA
From Oradea to Tulcea, over 150 organisations
produced the biggest event of 2014: 110
actions in all 11 Danube regions led by Water
Basin administrations, local authorities, Apele
Române, Coca-Cola HBC Romania, ECCG and
other NGOs. ‘Let’s Do it Romania!’ mobilised
an army of volunteers to clear banks across
southern Romania; while two members of
Cyclomaniac bike club cycled the 2,800 km
Danube course in just 18 days!
© ABA Jiu
MOLDOVA
Some 700 national and local
government officials, NGO
representatives and local people
gathered for a day of festivities,
tradition, science and solidarity
in Giurgiulesti near Cahul. In
the ‘International Danube Art
Master’ final, the basin-wide
crown went to Elena Gorobe. from
Elizaveta for her elegant, poignant
bird sculpture.
BULGARIA
Actions flowed from Vidin to Silistra
– in every Danube municipality and
Sofia – led by councils, Danube River
Basin Directorate, Environment and
Water Inspectorates, WWF, CEIE
and local NGOs. A 1200-strong
crowd at Persina Natural Park enjoyed
spectacular fire juggling and a rock
concert. Vidin’s bridge was a riot of
white, green and red as 700 balloons
were released for ‘Blue Danube Week’.
