News & Media

VIENNA, 16 December 2025 – The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) proudly announced the winners of the 2025 Danube Art Master competition during its 28th Ordinary Meeting, held 11-12 December at the Vienna International Centre.

VIENNA, 11 December (Diplomatic Academy of Vienna) – Ukraine will take over the Presidency of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) in January 2026. Mariia Shpanchyk, Head of the Department of Water Management at the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine, will serve as its new President for one year. The annual transition in leadership reflects the ICPDR’s ongoing dedication to successful transboundary water management.

The ICPDR is pleased to share a first glimpse into the microbiological findings emerging from the Joint Danube Survey 5 (JDS5) — the world’s largest river basin monitoring programme carried out on a single river system. While full results will only be available once all samples from the 108 sampling sites have been analysed, early data from the microbiology component show encouraging trends across the entire Danube Basin.

On 2-3 June 2017 the sixth Youth Parliament of the Sava River Basin competition was held in Belgrade (Serbia). The motto for this year’s competition was “The Impact of Climate Change on the Lives of the Sava River Basin”. 60 students and teachers from nine secondary schools from the Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia and Bosnia-Herzegovina attended. The Sava Commission is an observer of the ICPDR.

Sediment Management is an essential element of River Basin Management Plans. Sediment is an essential, integral and dynamic part of our river basins. Where human activities interfere with sediment quantity or quality, sediment management becomes necessary. the European Sediment Network (SedNet), aims at providing scientific and user oriented input into the WFD implementation phase and organised its third Round Table in cooperation with the ICPDR and the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River.

On 27 October 2016, the Donauauen National Park celebrated 20 years of existence. ICPDR Executive Secretary Ivan Zavadksy addressed in his keynote speech the parallels that can be drawn between the creation of the ICPDR and that of Danube Parks - both results of environmental awareness-raising following the fall of the iron curtain and both institutions to be considered as “agents of change”.

On 23 September 2016, the opening ceremony of the hatchery station of the EU project LIFE Sterlet was held on the Danube Island in Vienna.
The ICPDR has been one of the first organisations to advocate the protection of this flagship species, raise awareness for the threat to see Danube sturgeons become totally extinct and support projects and initiatives such as LIFE Sterlet.

Danube Basin, 29 June 2016. Creative events for children, behind-the-scenes tours in water management institutes, field visits in nature reserves: Danube Day reflects the diversity of the Danube River Basin. Join tens of thousands of people in 14 countries to celebrate the biggest river festival in the world.

Danube Basin, 21 May 2016. World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) is held on May 21 and will bring together more than 1,500 organizations, featuring more than 350 events worldwide.

A video showing highlights from 10 years of the international Danube Art Master competition. Premiered at the 3rd ICPDR Ministerial Meeting, it put the spotlight on the youth of the Danube Basin to address the ministers with their wishes for the Danube's future.