The 25 winners of the "National Art Master" prize assemble a giant puzzle of the Danube River Basin decorated by the winners themselves at the Danube Museum in Esztergom.

Children's creativity and enthusiasm prove - again and again - to be a lesson to learn for adults when thinking and acting on environmental issues with special regard to the Danube. This year's Danube Art Master competition involved more than 2000 children from 13 Danube Countries resulting in a real movement for the river under the slogan "The Danube is more than just water". The national winners spent a weekend in Budapest and were awarded by István Őri, President of the ICPDR.

The award ceremony took place on October 14 at the Hungarian Ministry of Environment and Water in Budapest. In his speech, Őri emphasised that "We are really impressed by your creativity and artistic ability which illustrate that you understand the value and importance of our waters and related environment as well as the possible threats to them and you are ready to act in an environmentally friendly way to protect them."

The winning submission was created by class 6A of the secondary school "Auf der Schanz", represented by Sebastian Bauer and Dominik Petersen of Germany. Their colourful, creative sculpture depicted children from Danube countries waving flags together on a boat on the Danube. Sculpture materials included a collage of stones, plants and wood taken from around the river.

Drawing the river.
On Saturday, October 15, the 25 young "Danube Ambassadors", representing all 13 Danube countries, visited the Budapest Zoo and the Danube Museum in Esztergom. There they took part in an interactive competition to identify puzzle pieces of their own country, and then add drawings of the Danube and its tributaries to the piece with decorations, plants or animals characteristic to their country. The children knew the interconnectedness of the basin so well that, remarkably, once the pieces were assembled together in a giant puzzle, the depictions of the river on each individual piece fit together perfectly! The essence and spirit of the Danube cooperation and solidarity we are working toward starts here.

Moving forward.
The success of the international school competition for the "Danube Art Master" title ensures the involvement of more and more children each year, and through them of more and more adults. Hopefully, one day everyone will be aware of the treasures that the Danube holds.

The competition was initiated by ICPDR and conducted in cooperation with the Danube Environmental Forum, however this trip wouldn't have been possible without the support of Coca-Cola.

Monika Jetzin
is the Public Participation Danube Task Force Leader for
the Global Water Partnership Central and Eastern Europe.