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BACKGROUND |
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The 2000-2002 provided
ECCG the framework for developing a much complex, more
efficient EE programme, its main focus laying on the
water conservation and water protection issues.
The 2003- 2004 overall objectives
were: |
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To promote awareness
on the river ecosystem assets and environmental problems,
the main target group - students and teachers |
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To develop one EE workshop
with the educators -target group, and to provide them
the tools to integrate the water- related issues in
their curricula |
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To continue assisting
the NGOs active in the Danube River Basin Management
issues to become more efficient in approaching the educational
matters (DEF member organizations, too). |
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To organize trips along
the Danube and within the Galati town limits so as to
mix fun and training altogether. |
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To promote local and
national pride about the " Danube River Ownership"
See Danube Day |
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ACTIVIETIES
& RESULTS. |
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Awareness raising
campaigns on the water -related events: |
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The Wetland Day, Feb.
2 Partners: the local 'V.A. Urechia' Public Library,
Lower Danube University -The Aquaculture and Fishery
Dept. from Galati, schools, and the local EPA. The ECCG
staff secured translations, access to the information,
and distributed informative materials, and organised: |
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Press Conference and
a Press Release |
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A Roundtable Meeting
focussed on the topics "Romania's and Spain's Green
Corridor Programme: Lower Danube and Guadiamar: Similarities
and Differences"
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Information sources were:
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the Ramsar Bureau from
Switzerland; |
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RSPB -UK provided 10
copies of the kits produced within the trans-national
EU Life -Environment Project "Wise Use of Floodplains".
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Follow up: Connection
was maintained with the Ramsar Bureau for the Wetlands
Day 2004, the theme announced is "From the Mountains
to the Sea - Wetlands at Work for Us". This will
allow us to stay focussed on the Danube wetlands and
consider how these wetlands work for the benefit both
at national and local levels, and to consider how to
manage these wetlands so that they continue to deliver
these benefits.
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The World Water Day,
March 22 |
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The World Water Day, March
22 - a traditional activity for the ECCG within the
last few years. This year, the World Water Forum, held
in Tokyo, Japan, provided the chance to have access
to information as a Romanian journalist participated
there (from the Romanian Environmental Journalists'
Association). |
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The ECCG web page contained
the latest information about the event |
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5 local schools organized
the "Water Week" programme. The support provided
by ECCG consisted of counselling on the activity management
plan, provision of informative materials, and running
demonstrative lessons and how to develop water sampling.
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On March 21, "Water
Contest". |
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Partners of ECCG were
the School no. 29 ("Sf. Ana"), and the Marine
High School. The theme was "The Living Water Drop".
Activities developed: |
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A "Water Trip",
experiment, |
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Reciting poems, and
telling water -related stories, |
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Award Ceremony |
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The Water -related Exhibition
( handicrafts)' |
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A Public Awareness Campaign, with the local Mass Media
involvement secured. |
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Note:
The March 21 event concluded the results of a wide range
of activities that had been accomplished since October
2002. |
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Results: |
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60 students and 20 primary
school teachers got involved; |
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9 essays were awarded |
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ECCG role:
provided contestants informative materials, translated
the leaflets focussed on water issues
"The Great Water Game',
June 1, was developed in the open air, 3rd graders
enjoying it. Awards were granted: books, toys, and
sweets.
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June 4 |
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A Roundtable meeting
with the participation of the partners of the "Dunarea"
High School (MAIA) within the Comenius Program "Water,
Exchange, Communication, Europe". The meeting was
followed by a half-a-day cruise trip from Galati up
to the confluence of the Prut River with Danube for
a group of 29 people (4 teachers and 23 students) and
guidance provided by the ECCG assigned person. This
included water sampling, nature observation experiment,
and flora, fauna identification. |
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On June 23rd : |
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On June 23rd, a one
-day training course was organised at the ECCG HQ' that
addressed the ECCG staff, volunteers, and the teachers
to be involved in the water module classes during the
summer holiday. |
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Developing educational
materials and "On Board' Demonstrative classes |
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"The Blue Danube
School Kit" was drafted by ECCG and covers all
levels: primary, gymnasium and high school (the chapters
1,3, 6 corresponding to this). Within the 60 pages,
water -related issues are accessible to readers thanks
to the easy language; volunteers and teachers were also
involved in its achieving. |
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A specialised poster
was printed in 1500 copies and a dedicated banner was
made for the pontoon. |
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October 2, Inauguration
of the 2003 -2004 school year |
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70
Participants in all: 6 highest official governmental
representatives, university professors, 19 teachers,
10 volunteers, ECCG staff, friends and family members.
One representative of the Merck Company was also present
with a valuable book donation to the Green Library of
ECCG, and introducing the water -related equipment to
participants. |
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Mass
media was present, the local newspapermen and
TV Stations |
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Presentations were made
about the EE programme and projects developed by ECCG,
the significant role of the Luxembourg funding assistance
programme, co-operation and partnerships with governmental,
education and business sectors. |
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The "Blue Danube
School Kit" was presented to the participants,
copies were made available to officials, too Poster
Component included short presentations about the DEF,
and ICPDR Programmes |
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A Water Workshop (2-hour
long) was organised while the pontoon was cruising with
17 teachers participating in it. |
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CONCLUSION: |
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The event proved to
be extremely important for the ECCG staff in terms of
future co-operation and partnerships, media awareness,
good profile and encouraging support. None or very little
of all these could be achieved, without the constant,
reliable support, financial and moral, from Luxembourg
Ministries of Environment and Foreign Affairs. |
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October 7- November 4
"On Board' Demonstrative classes. |
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The improvements achieved
on the pontoon all over April -September period of time
secured the operational '2003 educational programme'.
The 'pontoon-held EE' programme have been continued
until November 4. Presentations about the ECCG-led EE
outdoor pontoon activity plans were done within all
the events ECCG participated to, and also to the visitors
from Austria, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Ukraine, The Netherlands
and Italy. |
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Number
of classes: 31 |
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Participants:
336 students, 18 educators, and 7 volunteers |
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School
units involved: 7 |
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Topics
addressed: water pollution sources within the
Galati area, Danube geography, Delta ecosystem, problems,
dams and their impact on the Danube ecosystem, drinking
water and health problems, etc, etc. |
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Approach:
interactive, multidisciplinary activities, cruises along
the Galati Danube area. |
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Comments: |
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Classes for younger
school children need to be shorter than 3 hours |
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Smaller groups, of 10
individuals need guidance from one adult. |
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Awards such as postcards,
leaflets are also necessary |
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A ' tea break' is needed,
out on deck |
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Longer nature observation
activities |
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More stories to be shared
with younger participants |
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Note:
A special designed EE programme for the marine
high school that owns the pontoon used in the needs
to be drafted. |
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Co-financiation and
Follow -up: |
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All over the summer schools
holiday, the ECCG staff identified persons interested
in the Blue Danube Programme, and elaborated educational
materials; also a project proposal "Together for
the Danube Delta" was submitted to BRAU UNION Company,
Bucharest-based. The Company's Executive Board of Directors
approved the project in August, when the contract was
signed. As early as September 15, the financial support
once provided, preparations were started for the launching
of the "EE Blue Danube Programme for 2003 -2004".
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Note:
The contact was established thanks to the co-operation
with Global 2000, from Austria Within the DEF framework,
a three - country project proposal for CORE grants was
submitted for funding to European environmental organisations.
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The applicants are DEF
members, the National Focal Points from Romania (ECCG),
Slovakia and Bulgaria. Its title is "Environmental
Education Programme for the Danube Delta"
Goal: To organise an
international workshop 'Training the EE Trainers' and
to develop a 5 -day environmental education camp on
the ECCG Pontoon facility in the Romanian Danube Delta
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