Welcome to Danube Day 2021

On 29th of June each year, the 14 countries of the Danube River Basin jointly celebrate one of Europe's greatest river systems, along with its people and the wildlife that rely on it. Read on to find out how you can get #DiscoverDanube!

NOTICE:

Due to the various continuing restrictions on public gatherings throughout the Danube River Basin as a result of the global COVID-19 pandemic, 2021's Danube Day celebrations on and around 29th June 2021 will remain partially changed.

You are all warmly invited to #DiscoverDanube online!

Although it wasn't intended, our motto continues to fit the situation, and our partners throughout the Danube River can still educate and inform you all about the Danube River on and around 29th June 2021. We're happy to answer any and all queries you may have, and our partners all remained involved in Danube Day 2021 despite these small temporary changes to our programme – so please don't hesitate to get in touch with them or us.

The Danube Day poster design for 2021 features our motto "Discover Danube", this time against an ochre background. Keep on the lookout out for our signature Danube Day branded bags too – which were sent out to our partners throughout the Danube River Basin as every year.

What Happened in 2021 (despite the crisis)?

While almost all of our activities had to be different last year in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, our member countries rose to the challenge to keep the Danube Day spirit alive throughout this global crisis. – and continued on in that same spirit here in 2021! Here's a small summary of what happened for this year's Danube Day throughout the Danube River Basin, on and around 29th June:

Bulgaria

From 25 – 30 June, a Danube Day Festival took place around the scenic town of Nikopol on the banks of the Danube in Northern Bulgaria. It included interactive educational models, concerts, competitions, exhibitions (held in accordance with pandemic safety regulations).
Also from 25 - 30 June, another Danube Day festival with interactive educational models, representation of the Danube countries and traditional Bulgarian customs was held in the village of Baykal, also on the banks of the Danube in Northern Bulgaria.
Several cleanup events took place on the banks of the Danube to coincide with Danube Day too! They happened up and down the Danube and its tributaries throughout Bulgaria.

Joint Sava Day Celebration

On 1st June 2021 the joint celebration of Danube Day and Sava Day took place in 4 countries (Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina) on the same day. The main purpose was to mark the high water levels of Sava with a uniform sign, and to encourage critical judgment of and a sense of responsibility in case of floods. Besides the official institutions, local stakeholders are crucial: local population, schools, local government, real estate owners of buildings with the installed high water marks; will all be included in the event.

Find out more on the event here via the Slovene government website, and see some images from the event below:

Slovenia

"When water from Kolpa will reach the Danube: Continuing with action Marking of high water level"
The main purpose of this action was to encourage critical judgment of one's own and others' actions while raising the individual's sense of responsibility in case of floods. It took place around the Kola River in Slovenia, coinciding with Danube Day in June 2021.
Visit www.gov.si/drzavni-organi/ministrstva/ministrstvo-za-okolje-in-prostor for more

Austria

Austria created their own dedicated Danube Day website! Visit: www.danubeday.at
A new special exhibition will be on display in Vienna throughout Summer 2021 on the Danube Island ('DonauInsel') in the city. Visit the Donauinsel U1 U-bahn station on Fridays and Saturdays all summer long to #DiscoverDanube! Find out more on www.danubeday.at/danube-day-ausstellung

Serbia

The Serbian Danube Day team created a platform on their website: www.srbijavode.rs, which includes educational short films about the sights of the Danube River, and a quiz for participants to take to test their Danube knowledge.
As with every year, the Vode Vojvodine Regatta was scheduled to take place in honour of Danube Day, promoting the Danube-based navigable potential of the Vojvodina province in Serbia. Potential sailors can gain experience in sailing while towns and villages near rivers and canals, and receive incentives for tourism development in the region. Unfortunately, this year’s regatta was once again postponed due to coronavirus pandemic – visit www.vodevojvodine.com to find out more
PWMC “Srbijavode” is making video about "Roman heritage on the banks of the Danube"! This is to celebrate Roman Heritage in the region on the event of Danube Day. The remains and heritage of Ancient Rome on the banks of the Danube form makes an important part of cultural layer of the Serbian Danube region, the video will show the most important seats of the Roman legions such as Viminacium, Tabula Traiana, Trajan's bridge etc. Visit www.srbijavode.rs, or follow the on YouTube and Instagram to find out more.

Romania

The Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests, National Administration “Romanian Waters” and all 11 Water Basin Administration published press releases in the local and national media to promote the importance of the Danube River in our lives, for us and the aquatic ecosystems.
Banat Water Basin Administration participated in a large cleaning water action. On June 29, Ebisu - the first waste collection boat in Europe, 100% electric, arrived in Orșova, in the Gulf of Cerna. In total, over 110 bags, representing 900 kg of waste, were collected in 5 hours, from the water, in a greening event, held within the program "We act for Water!", initiated by Act for Tomorrow in partnership with Kaufland Romania, the Ministry of Environment, Waters and Forests and the National Administration ”Romanian Waters”. Read more here (Romanian Language Only.
The Crisuri Water Basin Administration organized several different activities dedicated to Danube Day 2021: in Beius County the children from Aquarium Club have participated in an ecological workshop dedicated to the little ecologists and a painting exhibition; it was organized for all children a visit to Surplacu de Barcau reservoir for an open lesson related to the quality water importance. The event was attended by 75 children.

On 28 June, the Arges Vedea Water Basin Administration and Teleorman Water Management System organized an open lesson dedicated to the Danube Day, with children from the Primary School “Stefan cel Mare” - Alexandria City. They attended a demonstration of water quality testing exercise in the Water Quality Laboratory and there was organized a competition having the water protection as subject.
Danube Day 2021 has been celebrated in Galati city, at the Natural Science Museum “Rasvan Angheluta” through a special program, called Rediscover the Danube through photography and dance.
Dobrogea Litoral Water Basin Administration through the Tulcea Water Management System has organized a large trash/waste collections action on the seashore sectors of the Black Sea, in the Gura Portitei area (cca 5 square km). Also were organised evens with the support of local authorities in Dunavatu de Jos.
County Council of Braila, Braila City Hall, Let’s Do it Romania Association, Braila Mall, Popular School “Vespasian Lungu”, Alexandri School from Braila organised different activities as painting exhibitions, dancing contests.
Calarasi City Hall in collaboration with the Ivan Patzaichin Association – Milla 23 organized the 8th edition of the Danube Day. A lot of activities took place with the involvement of Children’’s Palace Calarasi, County Center Calarasi, AJVPS Calarasi as a canoe competition, sport-fishing competitions, thematic workshops for the children and a culinary festival. More than 40 children participated in these events.

Hungary

“Young and old, all lovers of the Danube, enthusiastically and with great interest took part in this year's unconventional celebrations”
An on-line event reached over 12,000 people (boosted via Facebook & radio)
Between 80 and 90 participants took place at an on-site event at the Duna Múzeum in Esztergom, which included a myriad of Danube-related activities and music for families.
Additionally, a special Danube Day poem by Sándor Erd őss was published on the Duna Nap facebook page (link)

Slovakia

On 9th July, an Excursion in Donau Auen gave out information about the revitalisation of watercourses in the context of WFD implementation in Austria, participants were from the State Nature Conservation SR, Ministry of Environment SR, Water Research Institute, Slovak Environmental Inspectorate, Slovak Water Management Enterprise, Water Management Construction, non-governmental organizations, rational water utilization experts and media representatives – plus journalists.
Held on 28th June 2021, a webinar event titled "Danube – our and European River" took place online. At the beginning, the participants were welcomed by representatives of the Ministry of Environment SR. Presentations dealt with the following topics: water bodies of the Danube River and JDS 4; examples of restoration measures on the Danube River and in its flood plain area; examples of WWF restoration projects and programmes on the Lower and Middle Danube and preparation of the Concept of Water Policy SR for the years 2021 – 2030.
Additionally, a Photo Competition was held by the Slovak University of Technology (STU) - the happy winners were awarded those coveted ICPDR bags! Details via Facebook here.
And finally, a Summer Solstice on the Danube – in SEV Dropie, Zemianska Olča during the whole June in the form of excursions for students. The activity also happened during Opened Parks and Gardens Weekend as well as on the Environmental Day. Opened Door Day (5 June 2021) offered the possibility for participants to join the “Golden Garden” quest, which was focused on natural-historical features of Lower Žitný Ostrov that was formed by the Danube River in the past. Happy winners were awarded ICPRD bags.

Czech Republic

Czech activities for Danube Day 2021 remained online this year, coinciding with their launch of communications regarding the Fourth Joint Danube Survey (JDS4).
Additionally, the Czech Ministry of Environment published a (Czech language) article about both JDS4 and Danube Day 2021. Read the article online here.

Moldova

Danube Day 2021 conference in Lower Prut, Moldova [Photo credit: Dumitru Drumea]

On the event of Danube Day 2021, a public conference on Danube activities was held in Moldova. Taking place in the Lower Prut region, with remote hybrid connections in Chisinau and elsewhere. Some 200 people were in attendance to discuss various aspects of Danube water conservation in Moldova.
During event a potential activities aimed at pollution reduction were discussed. In this context, a project supported by the National Commission of the Republic of Moldova for UNESCO was presented too, and during the event, the expectations of local communities on the functioning of the biosphere reserve were discussed and it was agreed number of actions on protection of the Beleu lake.

Ukraine

On 26th June, in Kvasovo village, Zakarpattya Oblast,
At Borzhava river (a tributary of Tisza), at present, there is a special net to catch the floating litter. 26th of June, the litter is removed by a special crane by specialists of Tisza Basin authority and Oblast department of the emergencies in Zakarpattya Oblast. The action includes joint cleanup of Borzhava floodplain (with parallel cleanups in Prut and Siret basins and Danube delta and online video reports)

Litter at Borzhava river

«Having finished all preparatory works, and waiting till the end of the spring silence season, on occastion of the Danube Day we have removed 9 out of 10 garbage jams in Borzhava riverbed” – said the First Deputy Head of Zakarpattya Oblast State Administration Myroslav Biletsky. Around 80 people took part in the clean up including representatives of the EUWI+, SAWR, local authorities, State Emergency services, State forest agency, Tisza basin authority. The taken waste was sorted out to plastic and glass and sent to the

Sorting out the removed waste.

Quiz for kids «Story of your river»: A large banner (5 m length and 1 m width) was printed and at the school wall in Kvasovo. At this banner, the kids should draw the answers to the questions. The example of the question: “For which groups of animals the river is important?”. In the end, the banner was left as a present to the school. The quiz is targeted at kids of Kvasovo village as well as Korolevo orphan houses. In total around 30 kids took part in the action (following the COVID limitations). As a result, the kids draw a large poster with the river of their dream: clean, with diversity flora and fauna, rainbow and rain. Also the participants of the quiz shared their proposals, what each of us can do for the protection of the river in the good state

Painting answers about the future of the river

Read additional reports on what happened for Danube Day 2021 in Ukraine here and here

Germany

A stakeholder and river expert meeting at the German-Austrian border was organized by Gerhard Nagl, Danube Environmental Forum und Ralf Braun, House at the River ecological education centre Jochenstein (below). Participants of both countries from water administration, nature conservation, hydropower and experts for biodiversity and river restoration expressed their commitment to improve nature in the Danube ecological corridor. The blue ribbon of the Danube symbolizes the connection along the river across the borders.

A joint activity by Germany and Austria on the Danube at Jochenstein.

A few days before, on Sunday June 27, the ecumenical action circle of catholics and protestants for a flowing Danube met at the Danube cross at the river in Niederalteich near Deggendorf with its old monastery. The participants celebrated 25 years of commitment for the Danube with music, singing and praying for the river and for a sustainable use of nature.

Albania

Yes... Albania! It's a little known fact that Albania is in fact home to a (relatively small) section of the Danube River Basin. The Vermosh river is the only river in Albania that does not flow into the Adriatic Sea and, unlike other rivers, it flows from West to East. Along with its 2 tributaries – the Lëpushë and the Greben – it is also part of the Danube basin!
Albania joined the celebrations for Danube Day 2021 with an activity themed appropriately: Dialogue on trans-boundary rivers – a case study on Danube and Drin: Vermoshi River – part of the large Danube River basin.
See a short clip (in Albanian language) about this event and the Albanian section of the Danube River Basin online here.