Projects for sustainability in the Baden-Württemberg Foundation’s programme

“Perspective Danube”: The Danube is the most important lifeline in South-Eastern Europe. Due to industrialisation, intensive agriculture and pollution, it is heavily contaminated and its biological diversity is endangered. With the programme “Perspective Danube: Education, Culture and Civil Society”, the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung supports educational and exchange projects, many of which involve civil society organisations that are now active in the field of climate protection. In 11 countries, sustainability projects actively encourage different target groups to concern themselves with nature conservation, water protection and biodiversity. The projects also initiate changes towards sustainable development.

cleandanube – swimming for a pure and plastic-free river

“No effort is too great for clean water.”
Andreas Fath

According to studies, there is more micro-plastic in the Danube than fish larvae. This project counters the pollution of the Danube with micro and macro plastic and contributes to water conservation. Young people from the Danube countries can participate in workshops where they learn how to act in an environmentally responsible way and how to use less plastic.

AWP – association for wildlife protection e.V.
01.01.2021 – 31.12.2022
Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine

Keep Danube diversity alive!: Young people in Ukraine and Moldova become ambassadors of diversity

“What I learn in the project helps me to share my knowledge with others and to actively participate in environmental actions and projects.”
Viktoria Schadrina

40 young people between 13 and 16 years of age are trained to become ambassadors of diversity and opinion makers. They participate in workshops on different environmental topics, such as biodiversity, eco-management, environmental protection and sustainability. In this way, they gain practical experience in conserving their cultural diversity and the biodiversity of their home – the Danube habitat.

ChildFund Germany e.V.
01.03.2021 – 31.12.2021
Ukraine, Moldova

Municipal Climate Congress Baden-Württemberg for the Danube Region

Climate protection and climate adaptation were the main focus of this year’s edition of the municipal climate congress on May 21st. The project enables up to 50 participants form Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Romania to actively participate. Through their participation, municipal partners from the Danube-Sava-Forum, the Danube Office’s project network and the network of Engagement Global (BMZ) had the occasion to gain professional insights, establish contacts, exchange and contribute to the different forums themselves.

Danube Office Ulm/Neu-Ulm
01.12.2020 – 31.08.2021
Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Hungary and Romania

Danube Nature Guides II: Building bridges between natural and cultural institutions in a cross-border network

“The Comana Natural Park Administration had the opportunity to select a number of 5 potential guides who were able to participate in a training meeting in Danube Delta. There, the colleagues obtained a better understanding of the importance and functioning of the Danube and its floodplain.“
Valentin Grigore

In the Romanian Comana Natural Park and on the Moldovan side of the Pruth River, the Nature School for the Lake Constance Region is committed to communicating the idea of protecting these areas and their flora and fauna. In particular, water guides have been trained to preserve the protected areas and promote nature conservation through the “Danube Nature Guides” project. In the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve in Tulcea, participants from Romania met in August 2020 to exchange views on the needs of nature parks and their training requirements. In the long term, a cross-border network of Danube Nature Guides is to be developed from the several project phases.

Nature School for the Lake Constance Region e.V.
01.02.2020 – 16.10.2020
Romania, Moldova

Friends of the Danube Youth Camps

“My favourite part of the Friends of the Danube camp was when we were walking in the forest and learning about birds that live in the trees.”
Milan

According to the motto “EDUTAINMENT” (Education + Entertainment), youths and young adults aged 15-30 from the Danube region were able to participate in various Friends of the Danube Youth Camps. The topics of sustainability as well as specific environmental problems (e.g. polluted banks, plastic in the river) were discussed with experts, ideas for solutions were developed together and concrete activities were carried out. The social component also played an important role, for example marginalised delinquent youth participated in the Youth Camp in Bulgaria.

AGAPEDIA gGmbH
01.02.2020 – 31.12.2021
Romania, Croatia, Serbia and Bulgaria

Go Zero, Danube!

„I believe in a world without waste, where my daughter can live on a safe and clean planet. I believe that businesses, authorities and society should start acting as this is the only planet we have, because it is.“
Anastasiia Martynenko

In the youth project, young people from the entire Danube region dealt with the topics of waste avoidance, upcycling and zero waste in order to contribute to a clean and healthy Danube. During the international youth meeting, 75 young people were able to discuss and test practical solutions, methods of waste disposal and river cleaning. Participants could get to know examples of green start-ups and innovative young entrepreneurs and also get inspired for career orientation.

Starkmacher e.V.
01.08.2018 – 30.04.2021
Germany, Ukraine and Romania