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Construction continues on the
replica of a 500-year-old ship at shipbuilders Spat SA, whose shipyard
was opened to the public for Danube Day. |
On June 29, the main Danube harbour in Romania, Galati, hosted a wide range
of events dedicated to the river, from the early morning to the wee hours
of the night. Festivities attracted residents as well as visitors from all
over the country. The day began with the light of a torch carried on the
Danube, from the start of the Romanian Danube in Orsova, travelling to the
Black Sea port of Sulina, as a symbol of the river’s majesty. Speranta
Ianculescu, Minister of Environment and Water Management, said Romanians
value the river, and they make efforts to preserve it. Furthermore, she
added that the Danube is actually, "more polluted when it enters Romania
than when it leaves it”. Ianculescu also confirmed that Romania will
be prepared to fulfil the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) requirements
by 2007, when the country is expected to join the European Union. However,
Hubert Bedoret, International Policy Officer at Institut Eco-Conseil in
Belgium, warned that in order to join the European Union, "there has
to be not only signing, but also transposition of the legislation”.
"The paper stays in Bucharest, but it has to be applied everywhere,”
he said. According to Bedoret, there is a huge gap in Romania between high-level
decisions and field implementation. "That’s why we hope to collaborate,”
said Bedoret. "Among others, those who can help in this respect are
the eco counsellors.” Institut Eco-Conseil joined Danube Day celebrations
as an Eco Counselling Centre partner. The two organisations used Danube
Day to launch the Romanian translation of the book ‘Eco counsellor
– a job worth sharing’.
Nautical reminders of the past
Danube celebrations would be incomplete without a look at some of the great
ships of the past that sailed the river’s waters. Nautical builder
Spat SA opened their shipyard to the public, permitting viewing of construction
on a replica of a 500-year-old ship. Built according to original plans at
the request of the Galati County Council, the ship is 17 metres long and
4 metres wide with only one modern addition, that of an engine. It will
be launched soon from the Danube’s cliff in Galati for the events
commemorating 500 years since the death of Saint Stephen the Great, legendary
ruler of Moldova in the 15th century. A trip on the river aboard Tudor Vladimirescu,
a 150- year-old paddle steamer, offered a historic reminder of the former
splendour of the Danube. According to mechanic Toader Ivan, the ship is
unique in Romania, having a German engine with oscillating cylinders. Rebuilt
in 1959, the ship was recently refurbished for leisure trips.
Children lead the way
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The Eco Councelling Center in
Galati organised a special session on Danube Day – understanding
the Danube ecosystem is the basis for any action to protect it. |
Danube Day festivities drew children from all over the country to participate
in workshops and hands-on activities. The ‘Danube Art Master’
competition attracted over 200 schoolchildren. Petruta Moisi, president
of the Eco Counselling Centre in Galati and one of the co-organisers of
the Danube Day events, said most participants were from Danube cities such
as Galati and
Bralia, but "some were from as far as Alba Iulia in the middle of Transylvania”.
Daniel Stanciu, a sixth-grade pupil from Tichilesti, a village in Braila
county close to Galati, represented the national prizewinning team, and
won a trip to Vienna for later this year. "Even if I haven’t
done such works before, it wasn’t difficult for me to do it,”
he said about his artwork. "It’s like an aquarium.” Stanciu
knows a lot about the Danube, mostly from his father, who often takes him
fishing. The schoolmaster of the team, biology teacher Florena Urse, said
she encouraged her school’s students to participate in the contest
after learning about it from Eco-Alpex 024, an NGO in Braila. Eco-Alpex
024 President Cornel Apostol said he was glad his organisation could help.
"I’m happy we could offer the information which led to the winning
of such an important prize,” he said. Kids’ interest wasn’t
limited to art, however, as there were plenty of opportunities for them
to get involved. "I was surprised to see so many kids participating,
not just coming to look,” said Ning Xu, an environmental Peace Corps
volunteer for the Romanian Ornithological Society from Cluj Napoca. "When
I talked to them, I found out that many were already members of the Romanian
Ornithological Society. This is very reassuring for me. Children are more
environmentally aware than some adults.” "For a first time event,
Danube Day was amazing,” said Xu, "It all went very well. And
I am very impressed by the scale of the events,” she said.
Clean up in action
Decontamination exhibitions organised by the Galati Administration of the
Maritime Danube Harbours attracted many. Skimmer pumps and inflatable barges
were on display in a demonstration of decontamination intervention. This
is the only equipment of its kind in Romania specially designed for river
oil spills. Other Danube Day celebrations throughout the area included a
scientific symposium organised by the Galati Museum Complex of Natural Sciences,
as well as more informal public events such as boating activities, art exhibitions,
craft fairs and concerts. The main national organisers of the events were
the Ministry of Environment and Water Management, and the Romanian Waters
National Administration, Prut Water Directorate, in cooperation with local
authorities and non-governmental organisations. Co-funding for NGO activities
was received from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Environment
of Luxemburg through the Eco Counselling Centre Galati.