2023 in Review

Danube Day 2023 marked the 20th annual Danube Day celebration, bringing together citizens from more than a dozen countries to celebrate their shared river waters. The event’s longevity attests to the important contribution of rivers towards the economy, environment, and culture of the region.

While the 2020 and 2021 Danube Day celebrations had to accommodate COVID-19 safety restrictions by holding online events, since 2022, we have seen the return of outdoor events throughout several Danube countries! This year’s theme is “Keep the Danube Blue,” inspired by the 4th Joint Danube Survey (JDS4), one of the world’s most comprehensive surface water monitoring efforts. The findings of JDS4, first published in 2021, have been disseminated throughout the Danube River Basin to inform the public about vital data on water quality across the Danube River and its major tributaries.

The Danube Day poster design for 2023 features the motto Keep the Danube Blue”, this time against a blue background. Like every year, our signature Danube Day branded bags have been sent out to our partners throughout the Danube River Basin to distribute to the public.

Stay tuned to #DanubeDay and #DiscoverDanube on Social Media, or watch this space for further updates

2023 Activities

Austria

This year's festivities were held in cooperation with viadonau, Stadt Wien – Wiener Gewässe, and the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (Bundesministerium für Landwirtschaft, Regionen und Tourismus)

On June 19th, In cooperation with the LIFE WILDisland project, three boats with 20 students traveled from Fischamend to Haslau. In addition to getting to know animals and plants, the banks of the Danube, and the islands, a joint garbage collection campaign was on the program.
Additionally, on June 20th, school groups were invited to widen and test their knowledge of the Danube at eight interactive stations in the Donau-Auen National Park. About 14 school groups with 320 students from Vienna & Lower Austria participated in the Danube Day events. The young researchers were invited to solve the riddle of the "mumbling mussels" to learn about mosquitoes' life cycles and about measuring the Danube River.

Find out more here:
danubeday.at
Danube Day im Nationalpark Donau-Auen
Schulklassen im Einsatz für die Donau

Bulgaria

Over 50 events in over 20 locations took place across Bulgaria with over 25,000 individual organizers and participants!

In Vidin, Danube Day was celebrated with a spectacular light show and an impressive 3D Mapping of the "Baba Vida" fortress. Thousands of residents and guests of the city enjoyed the breathtaking, colorful extravaganza of fireworks and light effects. The organizers of the events were the Municipality of Vidin and Event Masters, with the assistance of Adventures in Belogradchik.
An information campaign was held in Lom on the Day of the Danube River. Young people from the local student club on environmental protection distributed educational materials with environmental themes. The dedication of drawings on the theme of river protection and a big concert with famous performers were also organized.
In Dolni Tsibar, a cycling race and educational activities on the riverbank were organized this year by the UCK - Valchedrum and the municipality of Valchedrum.

The “Noise of the River" festival in Kozloduy included a cleanup of the coastal strip, sports games and attractions, and entertainment. This year, many of the town celebrations were aimed at children, with artworks created by children displayed on white stones and a game that involved the discovery of ten treasures. Each "treasure" contained interesting information about the Danube.
Similarly, a "Keep the Danube Blue" event was held in Nikopol with music, quizzes, a children's drawing competition, and fun games. Traditionally, events for the Danube are held in Nikopol for over a month.
The city of Belene organized dozens of concerts, educational initiatives, and competitions. A culinary competition, "Danube Table," with traditional regional dishes, was among the highlights.

Lastly, in Silistra, several performances were held by the City Wind Orchestra, a children's show with actors of DKT, Silistra Drama and Puppet Theater, and an Auto and summer cinema under the stars.

This year’s festivities were made possible with the help of:
DRBD, Vidin Municipality, Lom Municipality, United children's complex, SERAW, Kozloduy NPP, Kozloduy Municipality, Dolna Mitropolia Municipality, Ivo Jokin, Nikopol Municipality, APREDAK 1871 community center, Belene Municipality, RIEW – Montana, RIEW – Ruse, Ruse Municipality, Tutrakan Municipality, and the Silistra Municipality

Croatia

Croatian Waters held a promotion of a new Picture book related to climate change as part of the Croatian water educational program for children.
Danube Fest in Vukovar traditionally with a rich cultural and educative program, film: “Vučedolska golubica” promotion, Plamingo Arts-Fire Show, a Regatta of boats made from recycled materials, public conversation about River Navigation, and a joint garbage collection campaign also on the program. Participants: citizens and guests of Vukovar.
Croatian experts shared experiences related to the examples from the 2021 National Implementation Report regarding the promotion of transparency and public participation in the two international water management commissions: the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River - ICPDR and the International Sava River Basin Commission - Sava Commission in thematic session on the promotion of the principles of the Convention in international forums.

For out more here:
Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of the Republic of Croatia
Croatian Waters
Tourist board of the city of Vukovar

Czech Republic

An Open Day was held at T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute in cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment of the Czech Republic. The morning program was dedicated to children and primary school pupils, and the afternoon to the public.
In addition to the tour of the institution, the work of the largest commission dealing with the protection of watercourses was also presented (ICPDR).
Lastly, in solidarity with fellow Danube member Ukraine, a large package filled with drawings and messages from the children who stopped by was sent to the secretariat in Vienna to be shared with the children of Ukraine.

Find out more here:
Facebook
T. G. Masaryk Water Research Institute

Germany

This year many separate Danube Day events were held throughout Germany!

Regensburg:

In cooperation with the arts organization donumenta e.V. which supervises artists from the Danube region in Regensburg, an open art and science day took place.

The opening of the Danube Day took place in the historical Salzstadel, now the world heritage center of Regensburg. Maria Lang from the Regensburg cultural agency, Regina Hellwig-Schmid from donumenta e.V., and Josef Feuchtgruber from the Bavarian Water Agency all spoke about the importance of the Danube River and region and the significance of the Danube Day. They were followed by the presentation of two art installations.
Dimitar Solakov from Bulgaria presented his installation of a sturgeon as an interaction between nature and humans near the Stoney bridge named “historical future present.”
Tonka Malekovic presented her installation “compositions of flow” on the Stoney bridge, which speaks on human migration in the Danube region. She was accompanied by Sophia Freidhoff, who spoke on the scientific site of the migration.

Find out more here:
Donumenta
Mittel Bayerische

Hungary

This year, the main event in Hungary was Children's Danube Day.

After the past years of mostly online celebrations, a big family/children event was organized with the coordination of the Ministry of Interior. The event was organized on the Hjógyári Szget as a part of the Children's Island festival in Budapest on the 17th of June.
During the day’s program, children and their families participated in several fun games and contests, such as quizzes and memory games about the Danube and Hungary’s hydrography. From toddlers to pensioners, everyone could find activities, games, and new information related to the Danube and water.
Guests could learn about the Danube River Basin ecosystem by participating in various activities and games. If they completed all the tasks, they received a gift package that included Danube Day bags.
As usual, children got a Danube Passport to discover all the activities included in the program: learning about the flora and fauna of the rivers and wetlands, getting to know the endangered and protected fishes, learning about the hydrologic cycle and what we can do to preserve our precious fresh water.
Guests were also invited to the shores of the Danube, where they let 300 sterlets in the river!

Children looking at presentation during Danube Day

This year’s festivities were made possible with the help of:

Belügyminisztérium Országos Katasztrófavédelmi Főigazgatóság, Dunakanyar Kultúrtáj és Környezetvédelmi Egyesület, Duna Múzeum, Duna-Ipoly Nemzeti Park, Energiaügyi Minisztérium, GWP Magyarország Alapítvány, Herman Ottó Intézet, Külgazdasági és Külügyminisztérium, Országos Vízügyi Főigazgatóság and the Rideg & Rideg Fish Farm.

Find out more here:
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General Directorate of Water Management (OVF)

Moldova

This year, around 500 people throughout Moldova celebrated Danube Day with various activities.

Different Folk festivals were held, such as one organized by children from different summer camps. It included music dedicated to the region’s natural heritage and presentations on local traditions on the use of regional trades in day-to-day activities like cooking, clothing, tools, and instruments.
Participants also presented their knowledge of the Danube/Prut rivers and their views on future activities to protect the Danube/Prut rivers. They spoke about regional school visit exchanges with Romania, where they also participated in joint nature conservation actions (tree planting, art masters, etc.)
Events were also held in the village of Calinetsi, such as a trip along the Prut River (5-6 km). Around 150 children and educational staff were involved in the celebrations.
In the Falesti town public library and elementary school, folk events from Moldova and Romania were organized, with presentations on traditional clothes and performances of songs and dances from the middle part of the Prut basin in Moldova and Romania. A total of around 200 people attended these events.
In celebration of the Danube Art Master competition, an event was organized in a summer camp with around 30 pictures presented on topics such as climate change, water ecosystems, pollution, etc. Participants received small gifts from the organizers and Danube Day bags (provided by the ICPDR.)

Celebrations were held thanks to the support and coordination of the Ministry of Education and Research of Moldova, local public authorities from the Falesti district, the Eastern Partnership Civil Society Platform, the Institute of Ecology and Geography, and GWP Moldova.

Romania

With the support of the Water Basin Administrations and local authorities over 850 people participated in activities across Romania.

The Arges Vedea Water Basin Administration held a special meeting of the Basin Committee to emphasize the importance of measures to achieve the good status of the Danube River and its tributaries.
The Water Management System Teleorman invited children to celebrate Danube Day on a boat ride on the Danube with the Sarmizegetusa ship.
The Banat Water Basin Administration organized eco-educational activities for secondary and high school students, which included lessons on aquatic ecosystems and water quality.
Buzau-Ialomita Water Basin Administration held a joint greening campaign organized by the Ialomita Water Management System and Braila Water Management System on the embankment of the Danube River.
County Council Călărași, with the support of Alexandru Odobescu County Library, Mâini deschise Association, and Dunărea de Jos Museum, organized activities aimed to underline the importance of the Danube River and the importance of protecting waters resources.
Dobrogea Litoral Water Basin Administration and Tulcea Water Management System organized several greening and protecting projects in Letea Forest.
Olt Water Basin Administration and Olt Water Management System have organized Open Doors Day for the children. The specialists showed how water quality is analyzed. They took samples, performed different analyses, and taught the children about various organisms that live in water.

Jiu Water Basin Administration held different activities in the month of June. Beautifying events were held on the banks of the Danube River, in the area of the Bechet port, the area of Rast (Dolj county), Gârla Mare, and Simian Island (Mehedinți county.)
In Garla Mare, Mehedinty County, a big fish contest was organized in which essays, drawings, and painting contests were held, as well as educational activities related to the biodiversity of the Danube River.
Prut Bârlad Water Basin Administration and Galati Water Management System organized activities, including a lesson on water pollution where specialists and children analyzed the water. They also enjoyed a boat cruise on the Danube.
Somes Tisa Water Basin Administration and Salaj Water Management System also organized a fish contest for 100 children with the support of the County Association of Sports Hunters and Fishermen from Sălaj City.
In partnership with "Dumitru Mangeron" Technological High School Bacău, the Siret Water Basin Administration organized a large competition on environmental protection, "Eco-reporters in action." The competition concluded with a student mini-camp between June 29 and July 2.
Crisuri Water Basin Administration organized activities in which over 130 students interacted constructively and improved their knowledge about the world of water.

Serbia

PWMC "Srbijavode" collaborated with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - Republic Water Directorate, the Museum of Science and Technology in Belgrade, and the Faculty of Forestry University of Belgrade to host educational activities for children and an exhibition called "From Belgrade's Rivers" at the Museum of Science and Technology in Belgrade. The exhibition focused on the Danube River.
The PWMC Vode Vojvodine has a longstanding tradition of hosting a recreational regatta to celebrate Danube Day. This event has grown to become one of our country's most significant multi-day recreational navigation gatherings. Marking its 13th year, the Vode Vojvodine Regatta embarked on its journey on June 21, 2023, departing from Novi Sad. Over ten days, more than 80 boats and 263 participants cruised through picturesque lowlands for approximately 250 kilometers.

In partnership with the City of Novi Sad, PWMC Vode Vojvodine organized an event on the renowned Danube beach in Novi Sad and welcomed people of all ages to engage in various activities. Children participated in a specially designed memory game to learn about the animal species residing within nature parks along the Danube River and the Danube-Tisa-Danube Hydrosystem. In the late afternoon, the beach held a rock concert, followed by the performance of fire dancers and a spectacular firework show.

Find out more here:
Public Water company Srbijavode
Public Water Management Company Vode Vojvodine
Regatta Vode Vojvodine
Danube Day Celebration
Energetski Portal
Nova News

Slovakia

Slovak Water Management Enterprise and the Ministry of Environment held a Danube Day for Slovak school children. Winners of the Danube Master of Art 2023 competition were awarded prizes in two categories: work of art and map. After the ceremony, around 200 children went on a boat trip on the Danube. Students also participated in activities such as a flame and fog in a bottle demonstration and a short quiz on air quality.
BROZ surprised students with an intro to Dunajské Kleton. Bojnice Zoo showed bird feathers under a microscope. Danube displays were set up by the Slovak Museum of Nature Conservation, the Research Institute of Water Management, and the Slovak Fishermen's Association.
Slovak organizations created educational toys and held events to teach children about water management and nature conservation. These included making adventure toys from recycled materials and creating wooden puzzles of birds, amphibians, and insects. The Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute celebrated Danube Day under Devín Castle, allowing the public to learn about measuring water flow, discovering river animals, and simulating rain.
The Ministry of Environment and GWP Slovakia held a workshop on integrated water resources management. Stakeholders discussed the importance of achieving good status for water bodies through the River Basin Management Plan. A report on the outcomes will be released in October 2023.
Find out more here:
Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic
Bratislava Regional Conservation Association

Slovenia

On June 1 2023, Slovenia held a screening of the award-winning film One for the River: The Sava Story.

The film, produced by Rok Rozman and directed by Rožle Bregar, follows four kayakers on an exciting 11-day journey across the Slovenian part of the Sava River.
After the screening followed a talk on the Sava river with Rozman and visual artists Metod Blejec and Una Rebić, who carried out the art project Flowalking ~ Sava last year.
The event took place in the Museum and Galleries in Ljubljana.
Watch the trailer here!

Ukraine

With cooperation between the State Agency of Water Resources of Ukraine (SAWR), Prut, the Siret Basin Authority, EU4Environment Water Resources, and Vyzhnitsya town administration, around 110 people took part in the main event in Chernivtsi (Prut and Siret River basin.) The event included:

Presentation of the current RBMP and discussion of its implementation.
Joint action with the ICPDR “Danube solidary” (we read the messages we got from ICPDR and other countries concerning the difficult situation in which Ukraine is and wrote the answers).
Exhibition of the items produced from recycled plastic.
Auction of the things made from recycled plastic (toys, pictures, and even benches) to collect funds to buy an accumulator for the military men from the Prut and Siret river basin. There was also a joint clean-up at the banks of Cheremosh, the biggest tributary of Prut.