Danube Day 2004 brought together Danube Basin residents old and young to celebrate the shared treasures of the region.

Danube Day 2004 was a major success, and the celebration continues in 2005 as all citizens of the Danube basin are invited to join Danube Day festivities aimed at promoting the protection and environmentally friendly use of the world's most international river.

Danube Day is a powerful tool for developing the 'Danubian identity' of the people living in the basin by reminding them that in spite of different cultures and histories, they have a shared responsibility to protect a precious resource - the Danube rivers. Organisations from civil society and governments will participate to make Danube Day a day to remember, through water-related games, exhibitions, field trips, round tables, workshops, and educational and public awarenessraising activities.

The Danube Art Masters Competition will again be an important element of Danube Day, organised jointly by the ICPDR, national ministries of water management and the Danube Environmental Forum. National contests will be carried out within each country and it is planned to invite the national winners to Budapest, Hungary, where the international winner will be selected.

For more information on Danube Day 2005, or how to participate, see www.danubeday.org.

Jasmine Bachmann
works on Public Participation and Public Relations in the ICPDR Permanent Secretariat,
and is the Executive Editor of Danube Watch.