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.