A river prize for Europe
Through a partnership of river organisations,
a new prize launching next year
will recognise efforts to overcome water
management challenges on rivers
from the Ural Mountains to the Atlantic
Ocean.
The ICPDR won the Thiess International Riverprize in 2007. “It is therefore a great pleasure for the ICPDR can serve as something like a launching platform for a related award in Europe,” says Wolfgang Stalzer, ICPDR President of 2012.
From 11 to 13 September 2013 a new European Riverprize will be awarded for the first time in Vienna. Even though the big day is still almost one year away, many details for the prize competition and the awarding ceremony have now been finalised.
“The European Riverprize should highlight the importance of integrated river basin management in Europe, very much in line with the work of our commission,” says Wolfgang Stalzer, ICPDR President of 2012. The ICPDR won the Thiess International Riverprize in 2007 and “It is therefore a great pleasure that the ICPDR can serve as something like a launching platform for a related award in Europe.”
New recognition for Europe. The European Riverprize was established through a partnership between the International River Foundation (IRF) with the ICPDR and the European Centre for River Restoration (ECRR). It will celebrate successful approaches that have overcome the challenges to river restoration, ecosystem health, water quality and climate change within the social and political context of the European continent.
Judged by a panel of European experts, the first European Riverprize will be awarded in Vienna on Thursday 12 September, 2013. The award ceremony, for which 250 to 300 guests are expected, will take place in conjunction with the European River Restoration Conference in Vienna. The organisers have secured the Baroque theatre hall ‘Aula der Wissenschaften’ at the heart of Vienna’s old town for this special occasion.
Working for sustainable water management. Applications will be assessed based on a documented river management framework, evidence of social and economic gains, an integrated approach to river management, long-term vision and demonstrated, outstanding achievements in river ecology. Participation is open to all organisations, including business, government and civil society, that are engaged in the sustainable management of rivers and their basins from the Ural Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The winner of the IRF European Riverprize will automatically qualify as a finalist in the Thiess International Riverprize in the following year.
Eligible countries are Albania, Andorra, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
For further information on the European Riverprize, check www.icpdr.org or www.riverfoundation.org.au and register for the European River Restoration Conference 2013 at www.errc2013.eu.
