Danube Day 2026: “United by Danube” celebrates 79 million people across 14 countries
VIENNA, 29 June 2026, the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) invites the 79 million people in the 14 Danube countries to take part in Danube Day – this year under the motto: “United by Danube”. On 29 June, communities from the Black Forest to the Black Sea will share celebrations on riverbanks, in parks, and at local venues to honour the Danube River and its vital role in providing water, food, power, recreation, and livelihood.
Established in 2004, Danube Day commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the Danube River Protection Convention on 29 June 1994 in Sofia, Bulgaria – the major legal instrument for transboundary water management cooperation in the Danube River Basin. Over more than two decades, Danube Day has grown into the world’s largest international river festival, celebrating the Danube’s extraordinary cultural diversity. At the international level, events are coordinated by the ICPDR from the Permanent Secretariat in Vienna, Austria, while member countries and partners organize events at the national level, merging local knowledge with international cooperation.
The motto, “United by Danube", connects Danube Day 2026 and the Danube Art Master competition to the spirit of Vienna’s 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, using a music-inspired campaign to spotlight each Danube country. Developed in close collaboration with the ICPDR and its partners, the campaign blends national musical traditions with water-related facts and stories. The goal is to raise awareness about the Danube River by showing how art, music, and nature can connect people across borders.
ICPDR 2026 President Mariia Shpanchyk said: "The Danube has always been more than a river—it is a story shared by millions of people across the entire Danube River Basin. Each year, we celebrate that shared story through music, culture, and a common commitment to protecting the waters that connect us. A healthy river, like good health itself, is something easy to take for granted and easy to lose—we need to remember this and act accordingly. Whether you are joining a riverbank event or simply pausing to appreciate the river flowing through your community, you are part of something much bigger. It is only together that we can keep the Danube healthy and vibrant for generations to come.”
ICPDR Executive Secretary Birgit Vogel said: “Danube Day stands for the strong engagement of civil society in protecting our precious water resources – and it celebrates the sense of togetherness that unites us all. ‘United by Danube’ is not just this year’s motto; it is our shared mission.”
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River is an international organisation consisting of 14 cooperating states and the European Union. Since its establishment in 1998, it has grown into one of Europe’s largest and most active international bodies engaged in river basin management. Its activities relate to the Danube River and the tributaries and groundwater resources of the entire Danube River Basin, with additional close links with the Black Sea.
For more information about Danube Day 2026 and events taking place throughout the Danube River Basin, visit www.danubeday.org and www.icpdr.org.
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CONTACT: Hélène Masliah-Gilkarov, Public Participation & Communication
ICPDR Secretariat at UNOV
Telephone: (+43-1) 26060-4373
Mobile: (+43 676) 845 200 220
E-mail: helene.masliah-gilkarov[at] icpdr.org
Web: www.icpdr.org
