Photo: ICPDR
The International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) Public Participation Expert Group held its 39th meeting In Budapest on 26 and 27 March. Nearly 20 participants from the Danube Basin countries came together to review the achievements of the past half-year and discuss the goals for the upcoming period. The program focused, among others, on the 5th Joint Danube Survey (JDS5), the Danube Art Master (international environmental arts competition for children and young people), the renewed and digitized Danube Box educational program and preparations for the summer International Day.
Photo: Katalin Szabó, OVF
A highlighted topic was the involvement of youngsters in the water cycle, with the aim of strengthening water awareness among future generations. In order to achieve it , the ICPDR plans to collaborate more closely with the Erasmus+ program, to expand its social media presence, to support community events and visits to water-related structures - both within and outside of school settings. Forums and dialogue platforms for young people will also play an important role.
On the meeting of the Working Group, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the significance of the body’s role was also discussed. One of the most important tasks of the Expert Group is to maintain contact with communities outside the water sector, thereby building a bridge between civil society and the water management experts. The three core principles of their work are inclusion, information sharing, and consultation. Participants emphasised that without the body’s activity, the flow of information and knowledge sharing - which are among the most key drivers of the 21st century - would be unimaginable; therefore; the Working Group’s continuous operation remains crucial.
Captions:
Photo 1: family photo about the participants of the 39th meeting of ICPDR
Photo 2: A snapshot of the meeting. Susanne Brandstetter (Austria) the working group leader, is welcoming the attendees
30 March 2026
Written by: Dániel Szántó, International Department, General Directorate of Water Management of Hungary