Danube Day 2019 in Romania

Danube Day 2019

In Romania, the website for the Ministry of Waters and Forest is the best place to find out about their many Danube Day 2019 activities! But here's a summary of the flurry of events that took place in Romania for Danube Day 2019:

"Today we mark International Danube Day. However, I would like not to remember the importance of Danube River only during the anniversaries. Moment by moment, citizens, specialists, all of us, must be responsible. We must be active for a Safer Danube!" - Mr. Ioan Denes, Minister of Waters and Forest of Romania during the celebration of Danube Day, in Braila. 

"The slogan proposed by the International Convention for the Protection of Danube River for this year is, 'Be active for a safer Danube', and I can assure you that at the Ministry of Waters and Forests of Romania level we take all the measures in order to assure and implement the above mentioned objective. I consider and I support the fact that information, education and the idea that waters resources must be protected and conserved and this resources will be taught in the best conditions to future generations.” - Mrs. Adriana Petcu, Secretary of State within The MINISTRY of Waters and Forests of Romania during the celebration of The Danube Day, in Braila

Nationwide:

National and local events were organised under the umbrella of the ICPDR slogan ”Be active for a safer Danube!” which symbolises the importance of the public involvement in the Danube River Basin protection and conservation, at different locations, especially in the Danube riparian counties of Romania.

Each of the 11 Water Basin Administrations through the River Basin Committees organised special dedicated meetings for Danube Day celebration. The ICPDR film clip about the Danube (with Romanian subtitles) was presented at each meeting. Hundreds of people celebrated the Danube Day within awareness events organised by Ministry of Waters and Forests and National Administration “Romanian Waters” through the Water Basin Administrations, local authorities and non-governmental organisations.

Main Central Event

(Braila City, on 20 June 2019)

Organised with support of the Buzau Ialomita Water Basin Administration, the first part of the central event saw the Buzau-Ialomita River Basin Committee meeting took place, with the participation of Mr.  Ioan Deneș, Minister of Waters and Forests, Mrs, Adriana Petcu, Secretary of State, Mr. Victor Sandu-General Director of the National Administration ”Romanian Waters”, experts from Ministry of Waters and Forests and National Administration ”Romanian Waters”, specialists form different sectors of activities and guests. After the meeting, participants visited the exhibition organised by the National Park Balta Mica of Braila and exhibition of WATMAN project floods equipment.

In parallel with the central event there were various different activities dedicated to the children: workshops demonstrating waters analysis and open biology lessons with participation from the WBA Buzau-Ialomita laboratory and Integrated Nutrient Pollution Control project experts. An important activity during the Danube Day celebration consisted of granting awards by Mr. Ioan Deneș, Minister of Waters and Forests to the children for a painting contest. Over 60 children from localities along the Danube River within Brăila County participated to the central event organised by the Ministry of Waters and Forests, and National Administration ,,Romanian Waters”, in close cooperation with Integrated Pollution Control with Nutrients project and non-governmental organisation CCE Galați,  and GWP-Romania.

The final part of the event consisted in a boat cruise for all participants on the Danube River. The central event was attended by some 100 specialists in water domain and stakeholders.

Banat Water Basin Administration

The Banat Water Basin Administration organised a large cleaning action along the banks and embankments of the Valea Terovei River from the 24th to 26th June. A series of sport activities were organised on 27 June under “Danube Copa IV” umbrella (a mini cross, badminton and football competitions), with 150 people in attendance.

Jiu Water Basin Administration

Between 15th-29th June, the Jiu Water Basin Administration organised various activities like: educational activities dedicated to the children focused on civic responsibility (activities developed with the involvement of 11 schools from Mehedinți, Dolj, Jiu Counties), painting contests, ecological activities, cruises on Danube. All children received participation diplomas and gifts like bags, pins, balloons. A special activity consisted in a filed visit to Isalnita Dam and to the WATMAN Urgent Intervention Centre with the participation of Romanian and foreigner childrens from Letonia, Hungary, Turkey and Italy. All the above-mentioned activities were organised with involvement of local mass media. The events was attended by 300 people.

Olt Water Basin Administration

Olt Water Basin Administration has organised at Corabia on 27.06.2017 a lot of activities dedicated to the children from the placement center, in special: a visit to the Izbiceni hydropower where they attended at an open lesson regarding the Danube River and its importance for riverine countries, a visit to the “Romanatiului” Museum and  in the end of the day, the children visited a Local Waters Quality Laboratory. All children were awarded with prizes containing different promotional materials from ICPDR and Coca Cola (cotton bags, Coca Cola refreshment beverages), T-shirts and caps from National Administration “Apele Romane”, books, sweets and diplomas. There were organised ecological actions on the Olanesti River, Olt River and some Olt River tributaries being involved specialists from Valcea, Covasna and Brasov Water Management Systems. The eventwas attended by 150 people.

Arges Vedea Water Basin Administration

Arges Vedea Water Basin Administration has organised on 29 June a diversity of activities in order to celebrate the Danube Day. The most part of these actions were dedicated to the children and students and aimed to disseminate general information concerning the Danube River, the importance of protection and conservation of flora and fauna of the Danube, measures that can be implemented in this purpose, ecological activities. Different activities have been organised with children from the Kindergarten “Altina”, “Rita Gagarita”, “Dumbrava Rosie” (Pitesti), in special drawings exhibition and sport competition. Calarasi City Council and Ivan Patzaichin Association – Milla 23 organised a canoe competition, sport-fishing competition organised in collaboration with the Association of Hunters and Fishermen)  Calarasi. Oltenita City Council organised educational activities, public debates regarding the Danube and its role in our life, photos competitions named “The beauty of the Danube”, with participation of the students from the “Nicolae Balcescu” High School. Also, a large cleaning action of the Danube River, took place in Oltenita and Giurgiu. Cca 300 people attended the events.

Buzau Ialomita Water Basin Administration

Buzau Ialomita Water Basin Administration has organised the central event and a lot of specific activities like photography exhibitions, cultural activities, presentation of different scientific articles, touristic orientation, ecological activities, courses on methods for protection of flora and fauna. Calarasi Water Management System, has organised Open Doors Day dedicated to children. They attended a demonstration of Danube water quality testing exercise in the Water Quality Laboratory and also, there was organised a competition having the water protection as subject. Braila Water Management System has organised a large sanitation action on the left bank of the Danube, on a distance of about 5 km in the Chiscani area. The events were attended by 150 people.

Prut Barlad Water Basin Administration and Galati Water Management System

Prut Barlad Water Basin Administration and Galati Water Management System have organised different activities in 5 schools from Galati City: photography exhibition, a drawing contest and presentation concerning the Danube River for children. Within the Galați County were organised a lot of specific activities: on 28 June took place Summer Parade, reaching its third edition, with dance, music and a lot of fun;  between 29-30 June have organised a Kayak and canoe competition, athletics contest and drawing competition, short cruise on Danube for all the people which attended at the events, fishing competition. Also, during these days, the participants have been involved in courses on methods for protection of flora and fauna, greening and cleaning action of the Danube River. More than 1000 participants attended at the events.

Dobrogea Litoral Water Basin Administration

Dobrogea Litoral Water Basin Administration has organised awareness events in many schools in Constanta, during the month of June. Also, children celebrated the Danube Day by exposing their drawings, photos and collages organised in an exhibition. The employees of Tulcea Water Management System participated to a greening action on the banks of the Danube and different actions aimed to promote informations concerning the importance of preserving and protection the waters resources of Danube River. The events was attended by 150 people. National Institute of Hydrology and Water Management (NIHWM) has organised two main events in order to celebrate the Danube Day. An open lesson about the protection and preservation the Danube River, with presentation about the main issues, pollution sources and measures to prevent the water pollution took place at the “Grigore Ghica Voievod” Schools and has been undertaken by experts from the Institute on 7 June. On 27 June, the NIHWM has organised the second event dedicated to children, where they were given general information about the role of the Danube River in Europe. During all these above mentioned activities, all participants, in special all the children received promotional materials as ICPDR bags, T-shirts, caps, balloons, Coca Cola products and the official poster of ICPDR were exposed in all locations.

Further information

To see how all the countries celebrate Danube Day, go to our Events in Countries page. You can also revisit 15 years of Romania's Danube Day via the general Review page.

For the latest news, please contact:

Elvira Marchidan of the Romanian Waters National Administration on +40 21 315 5535; +40 21 408 9642; elvira [dot] marchidanatrowater [dot] ro.

For Romania's Danube Art Master contest, view the Romanian factsheet or contact Iulia Leonte of the Eco Counselling Centre Galati (ECCG) on +40 236 499 957; mobile: +40 724 049 139; or see their facebook page in the coming weeks.