Danube Art Master 2025 Award Season Kicks Off in Austria
Award ceremonies are taking place across the Danube River Basin, facilitated by relevant ministries in the winning countries. Over the coming months, further national award presentations will follow, highlighting young perspectives from across the basin.
With the announcement of the Danube Art Master 2025 winners at the 28th Ordinary Meeting of the ICPDR, the award season is now underway across the Danube River Basin. Today, an award ceremony took place in Austria, where pupils Marlies Waldner and Lula Lugmayr from GRG 21 Franklinstraße 26 (Vienna) were awarded first place in the junior video category (ages 6–11). Their winning video reflects how thoughtfully and creatively young people engage with the Danube as a shared habitat for people and nature.
“We are delighted that our video project has inspired so many people and even won an award. We hope that our video will help raise awareness about the importance of protecting the Danube as a habitat for both people and nature,” said Marlies Waldner and Lula Lugmayr.
The award was presented to the winning class at their school in the presence of Monika Mörth, Head of the Water Section at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management (BMLUK) and Head of Austria’s Delegation to the ICPDR, together with Susanne Brandstetter, Communications Specialist in the Water Section of BMLUK and Chairperson of the ICPDR Public Participation Expert Group, which coordinates the Danube Art Master competition at the ICPDR level.
Austria’s Federal Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management, Norbert Totschnig, was unable to attend the ceremony in person but expressed his appreciation for the students’ achievement and his pride in their contribution to environmental awareness and river protection.
The Danube Art Master environmental art competition combines environmental education, hands-on river exploration, and creative expression. It encourages children and young people to discover rivers, understand ecosystems, and share their perspectives on protecting shared waters across the Danube River Basin.
Further national award ceremonies will take place in the coming weeks, with additional Danube Art Master 2025 winners to be featured.
