Voice of the Danube
Last week, IAWD, as a co-host, welcomed over 350 participants from 55 nations at the Tech Gate Vienna conference venue for the 25th International River Symposium. A theme of high significance, a roster of distinguished speakers, and rich online participation possibilities for the worldwide water community made for a memorable event.
Hosted by the International River Foundation (IRF), the first River Symposium was held in Brisbane in 1998. Held annually ever since then, it provides a platform for river managers, policy developers, scientists, consultants, NGOs and community organizations to share knowledge and innovative ideas on all aspects of river and water management.
The Symposium celebrates the environmental, economic and social value of rivers across the globe and provides a truly global forum for examining best practice in river and watershed management.
IAWD was therefore pleased and excited to join the IRF in hosting the main event of the 25th anniversary edition by the shores of the river Danube. The International River Symposium 2022 took place as a four-day, three-track conference, accompanied by local events in other time zones that fed into the main event and an online participation option.
IAWD President Walter Kling joined Prof. Paul Greenfield, Chair of the International RiverFoundation, in welcoming the participants, opening a tightly scheduled program featuring distinguished keynote speakers, lively plenary discussions and highly informative workshops.
IAWD's contributions to the program were Walter Kling's presentation on Vienna as a river city, shoulder to shoulder with Veronica Manfredi, European Commission, Neeta Pokhrel of the Asian Development Bank and Dr Stuart Orr, World Wildlife Fund for Nature, and Head of the IAWD Secretariat Katerina Schilling's speech at Sunday's session on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for our Rivers.
The program was rich in highlights, but maybe most anticipated was the announcement of the winners of the 2022 European River Prize. Shortlisted were the campaign to protect the Vjosa River in Greece and Albania, the Mura/Drava Danube River transboundary biosphere, and the Cumbria River Restoration partnerships program in the UNESCO World Heritage site Lake District National Park in Great Britain.
During the Symposium's gala dinner at Palais Ferstel, the Cumbria project took the coveted prize, joining a proud list of winners that includes, among others, the rivers Rhine, Mur, and Segura.
More information on the IRF, the International River Symposium 2022, and the European River Prize is available under the link below.
