Međunarodni dan rijeke Drave/International Drava River Day

Drava LIFE project partners marked the International Drava River Day

Varaždin, Osijek – A multi-day celebration of the International Drava River Day started on 20th September 2018 with a panel discussion “Projects and Challenges of River Protection and Sustainable Development along the Drava River” which was organized by the Public institution for management of protected natural values in Osječko-baranjska County, the Regional Development Agency of Slavonia and Baranja, the Osječko-baranjska County, the Museum of Fine Arts in Osijek, NGO Green Osijek, the city of Osijek, the Tourist board of Osječko-baranjska county and the Tourist board of the city of Osijek. Drava LIFE project together with several other EU projects along the Drava river was presented at the event. The participants also discussed the model for sustainable development and tourism along this river.

The celebration was accompanied by the art workshop for children, a photo exhibition “Living alongside Drava river” and a boat race that started from Vodenica. Students from “Franjo Kuhača” music school held a small concert at the amphitheater on the left bank of the Drava river and the overall program was completed with the music set of DJ Omer. The last day of the International Drava River Day celebration a tourist sightseeing on bicycles was organized and kayakers and rafters paddled downstream the Drava river.

The International Drava River Day was celebrated also in Varaždin on Sunday, September 23rd, 2018. The celebration was organized by the city of Varaždin, the University “Sjever”, the Varaždin City Museum and the Croatian Waters – the leading partner of the Drava LIFE project. In the Herzer Palace’s multimedia hall participants discussed the value of the Drava river as an irreplaceable source of potable and quality water and as an extremely important natural resource for the livelihood. Zdenko Kereša, project manager from Croatian Waters talked about the present and upcoming activities within the Drava LIFE – integrated river management project. The International Drava River Day was concluded by the opening of the photo exhibition “Tragovi Nanosa” by Zdenko Kereša.

 

Zeleni Osijek, prezentacija Drava LIFE projekta

Drava LIFE project – an example of best practice for students

Osijek, Croatia – During 14 and 15th of September, the 6th module of education entitled “Sustainable Community Development and Global Education” was held under the Civic Education and Training (“Osijek to GOO”) project. The objective of the module is to familiarize students with topics of sustainable development, environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources. All those activities are also implemented through the Drava LIFE project.

Ivan Damjanović from the Association for Nature and Environment Protection Green Osijek, one of the partners in the Drava LIFE project, presented the project as a good example of best practice and a representative case of international cooperation in environmental protection, sustainable use of natural resources and coexistence of humans and nature.

Primary school teachers participating in the project received more detailed information on the topics of protection of river and river ecosystems, revitalization of river habitats and the need to protect rivers and endangered plant and animal species. The gained knowledge will be further shared by teachers to their pupils, and therefore they will transfer knowledge and examples of good practice to younger generations.