Danube Day in Austria
Discover how Austria celebrated Danube Day 2026, with activities that brought people together and reminded us why we are all 'United by Danube'!
Danube Day 2026 in Austria kicked off on 15 June with a dedicated event on Vienna's Danube Island, spotlighting the LIFE project LifeBoat4Sturgeons. Visitors had the opportunity to learn about concrete measures for species protection and river restoration in an urban setting, with the Federal Minister attending to underline the importance of safeguarding the Danube's iconic sturgeon populations.
Two days later, on 17 June, a further 480 schoolchildren and students from Vienna and Lower Austria took part in Danube Day celebrations at the SchlossORTH Center in the Donau-Auen National Park. Across ten interactive learning stations, participants explored topics such as flood protection with "Floods – How Do I Protect Myself?", the animals of the Danube, and the different types of water bodies and how they are measured.
The programme once again extended into the afternoon, welcoming a further 200 children from after-school care groups in Lower Austria.
A special highlight took place the following day, on 18 June, when a class of 12 pupils set off on a hands-on boat trip along the Danube: paddling in a rubber dinghy, the students collected waste washed up along the riverbanks and disposed of it properly—turning environmental awareness into direct action.
In total, Danube Day 2026 in Austria reached over 690 children and young people, with the initiative's online community also growing, reaching 1,134 followers on Facebook by the end of June.
The event was organised by the Bundesministerium für Land- und Forstwirtschaft, Klima- und Umweltschutz, Regionen und Wasserwirtschaft – BMLUK (Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Climate and Environmental Protection, Regions and Water Management) together with viadonau – Österreichische Wasserstraßen-Gesellschaft (viadonau – Austrian Waterway Company) and Stadt Wien – Wiener Gewässer (City of Vienna – Water Management), in cooperation with the Nationalpark Donau-Auen (Danube-Auen National Park).
"The Danube Day is dedicated to the protection of the river Danube. We at National Park Donau-Auen were delighted to welcome Danube Day once again at the national park's visitor center on the Schlossinsel area. Many children enjoyed taking part in hands-on activities related to the Danube and its wildlife, learning fascinating facts while having fun," said the organisers.
📷 Photo credit: © Cornelia Gillmann | More photos
🔗 Further information: danubeday.at | danubeday.at/aktuelles | https://lb4sturgeon.eu
