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Picturing
a clean Danube
Eleven-year-old
Jonatan Zajc Soboċan from
Slovenia takes home the 'International Danube Art Master' for 2004.
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The national winners of the ‘Danube Art Masters’
competition, with ICPDR Executive Secretary Philip Weller, visit the palace
of Schönbrunn as part of their two-day programme in Vienna. |
Twenty-two
young artists travelled to Vienna for the crowning of the ‘International Danube
Art Master’ at the ICPDR Ministerial Meeting. The ICPDR invited the national ‘Danube
Art Masters’ from 12 Danube countries and their chaperones to Vienna and
organised a two-day programme for the young artists in the city. The children
toured the inner city of Vienna, experienced imperial life by dressing up like
kings and queens in the palace of Schönbrunn, visited the ‘House of the Sea’
aquarium, and enjoyed a typical Viennese Christmas market.
At lunchtime on Monday, December 13, the children joined the Ministerial
Meeting and Catherine Day, ICPDR President 2004, awarded certificates to all
children. “This symbolic gesture should underline the responsibility of today’s
political decisions for a clean aquatic environment for the future generations
of the entire Danube River Basin,” says Catherine Day, ICPDR President 2004.
Of the 22 national winners, Jonatan Zajc Soboċan, a pupil
from Slovenia, was selected as the ‘International Danube Art Master’ for his
beautiful and impressive sculpture.
Inspiration
from the river.
The international school competition was an integral part of Danube Day 2004,
celebrated on June 29 and carried out by the ICPDR in close cooperation with
the Danube Environmental Forum, and with the financial support of the UNDP/GEF
Danube Regional Project and the European Union. For this competition, the ICPDR
invited pupils and schools in the Danube Basin to organise an outing to the
Danube or a tribu-tary, and to create works of art along the river.
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Jonatan Zajc Soboċan, an
11-year-old student from Slovenia, won the ‘International Danube Art Master’
prize for his scultpture depicting a giant fish. |
Children were united across the entire basin — all visiting their local rivers
and devoting time to contemplating what the river means to them. Much of the
art was made of elements found by the river: reeds, stones or driftwood, but
also rubbish. “The diversity of art works created was a true reflection of the
huge richness of the Danube Basin,” explained Day.
Getting
children involved.
The competition was an overwhelming success, withover 4.000 participants. By
getting involved, studentslearned about the basin and got a chance to play an
active role in its protection.
The ICPDR plans to carry out the International School Competition in 2005 as
well, so that other childrenfrom around the basin will be able to be inspired
by the Danube and become ‘Danube Art Masters’ themselves.
“My
sculpture represents a gigantic fish. I got an idea for it in a piece of
alluvial wood, which reminded me of a fish with a giant head. Later, at home, I
stuck some pebble-stones on it. I have found all the components for my fish on
the bank of the nearby river called ‘Kokra.’
“Whenever I take a walk at rivers and lakes, I find and pick up something
interesting … pebbles, stones and pieces of wood, which power of water
transformed into pure masterpieces. What a pity that I find a lot of rubbish on
the riverbanks too. That always makes me angry and sad. I wish that rivers in
the future will be cleaner than now and full of big and healthy fish.” Jonatan
Zajc Soboċan