Vision

According to a study conducted during the years 2022-2023 within the Clean Waters program, the Romanian sector of the Danube annually carries 48.5 tons of microplastics and 48 tons of macroplastics at its entry into the country. By 2050, it is possible that there will be more plastic in the waters than fish. Volunteers from #CleanWaters collect 100 tons of plastic annually.

These are just a few statistics that give us pause and motivate us in our fight against plastic pollution in the waters. After numerous actions and projects that included clean-ups, the installation of floating barriers designed to stop plastic waste, and educating communities for prevention, we decided to join forces at the second edition of the Danube Festival. It will be a declaration of love, with music, workshops, and films, dedicated to the river that crosses many European hearts.

Between September 12 and 14, we gather in Sulina to discuss what the river that unites us brings and to commit together to a future #WithCleanWaters. We gather from all the Danubian countries to learn together how and why it is important to protect it.

FOR THE PLANET

It’s time to prove that we can have fun in the middle of nature, without leaving a trace: no single-use plastics, minimal waste generated and separate collection points. The world as we imagine it, in a festival.

FOR DANUBE

It’s an opportunity to see the Danube with fresh eyes and appreciate its beauty: we discover places with ecotourism potential that we can transform with minimal and non-invasive interventions. The river is always there, but it can show us a new perspective every time.

FOR THE DANUBIAN COMMUNITIES

The Danube represents a cultural region and a public space that unites people from ten countries, which is why we want to bring the local and international community together with authorities to discover how we can support each other in the fight against plastic pollution and to create new opportunities for spending time with the river.

FOR AN ECO-FRIENDLY LIFESTYLE

The table at which authorities and local communities meet will be only served vegetarian dishes. Why? Because, in addition to talking about the pressure that the meat production industry exerts upon the planet, we want to show that there are equally tasty alternatives.

FOR ZERO WASTE

… or 100% love for the environment. We don’t encourage waste - we clean our plates and recycle them, we reuse our cups and bottles and upcycle the promotional banners.

FOR WATER

Water is movement, the Danube is movement. The Danube Festival puts the spotlight on the passion for nature-based sports. Discover a great variety of beach activities with us: kayaking, stand-up paddle, swimming, badminton and volleyball.

The Danube Festival is organized within the Clean Waters program, which is supported by Lidl Romania, by an international team formed by MaiMultVerde Association and H2Org, the initiator of CleanDanube project, with the support of BCR and Baden-Wurttemberg Foundation.

The MaiMultVerde Association started in 2008 on the belief that caring for people and nature should become a priority. Ever since, it has carried out a series of projects in the fields of: Afforestation, biodiversity protection, environmental education, alternative transportation, food waste prevention and combating water plastic pollution.

H2Org is a non-profit organization that develops projects for a plastic-free environment, with a focus on water. It develops educational programs, campaigns, research activities and initiatives for minimizing water pollution and for preventing new plastic accumulation.