As this year's President of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR), the spotlight is on Serbia to host a grand celebration for Danube Day. With public celebrations, international meetings, conservation tasks, fun activity days, eco camps, competitions and exhibitions, Serbia's Danube Day will hit the mark.

Events uniting Serb Danubians will take place in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Smederevo, Indjija, Sombor, Majdanpek, Sudzum and several villages.

Sava Day (5-6 June 2008)

International cooperation is also at the forefront of Danube Day. Festivities will begin with a meeting to strengthen international relations with a joint workshop between the Sava Commission and the ICPDR on ‘Sava Day'.

Belgrade: Danube Day Festival (29 June 2008; 9:00-20:00)

29^th June 2008 will bring fun, action, information and festivities to the citizens of Belgrade. The day will start with a workshop at Vinca on pollution (9:00-12:00). Experts will be on hand to discuss the sources of river pollution and ways to prevent it. Next it's time for practical action with a river clean-up morning at Zemun - Danube left bank from ‘'Venecija'' to ‘'Hrabro srce'' (10:00-13:00). With the work over, the celebrations can begin at the Kalemegdan Fortress (17:00-20:00).

Danube Art Master schools competition (ongoing)

The Kalemegdan celebrations will see the culmination of Serbia's search to find the young Danube Art Master of 2008. This international schools competition challenges every pupil in the Basin to let their creativity run wild and create a piece of environmental art inspired by their local river.

Belgrade: Cooking contest (27-29 June 2008)

Fun competition and gourmet food to tempt the taste buds.

Belgrade: Danube Eco Camp (6-19 July 2008)

30 students will take part in a 2-week Danube Eco Camp on Great War Island focussing on pollution and related EU legislation.

Belgrade: Dragoljub Zamurovic exhibition (September 2008)

Exhibition of Danube works by the internationally renowned Serbian photographer.

Novi Sad: Boat/Bus tours and Danube Day celebration (27-29 June 2008)

It's ‘All Aboard' boats and buses for Danube Day in Novi Sad with a series of environmental tours. On the 27^th-29^th June, students and the general public will be treated to boat trips from Novi Sad to Cerevica. Gourmets can enter the Danube Fish Soup Contest and art lovers will enjoy a Danube Day exhibition. It's back on dry land on the 28^th-29^th June for bus tours from Novi Sad to the Danube to take part in river clean-up days.

Danube Photo Competition (until 15 September 2008)

Enter the basin-wide Danube Photographic Competition, organised by the International Friends of Nature, and your work could be exhibited at the UN Headquarters in Vienna and toured across the Danube countries.

Greet the Danube ship blast (29 June 2008)

The sound of ship horns will reverberate across Serbia and the Danube Basin at 14:00 on Danube Day, as Danube workers pay a very special tribute to their river. The annual Greet the Danube horn blast will see ships along the Danube from Germany to Ukraine simultaneously sound their horns in a salute to the rivers.

Other events across Serbia (June 2008)

Donji Milanovac (20-27 June): "Danube My Sea'' creative art workshop and exhibition (involving sand art and paper boats).

Donji Milanovac (27 June): Traditional folk evening.

Sombor (4-5 June): Danube workshops.

Indjija (28 June): Third Danube Folklore Festival.

Belegis-Surduk (29 June): Music and art performance with an exhibition of primary school children's work.

Bezdan (29 June): Danube clean-up day.

Smederevo (26-29 June): Chess competition; children's workshop; Danube riverside walk and sports programme.

Deronje (27- 29 June): "Tamburica Fest 2008'' tambourine festival.

Further information

Download the fact sheet below for more details about the events and organisers.
Danube Day in Serbia fact sheet 48.31 KB
For the latest news, please contact:
Marija Kostic of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - Water Directorate. Tel: +381 11 201 33 57; email: marija.kostic [at] minpolj [dot] sr [dot] gov [dot] yu. Details will be available soon at: www.minpolj.sr.gov.yu.

Related links

Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management: www.minpolj.sr.gov.yu

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