Clean Rivers Experience Slovakia September 2020

On Sunday 27th September 2020, in celebration of the World Rivers Day, as a part of the event “Zaži čisté rieky Slovensko - Clean Rivers Experience Slovakia”, Slovakia joined the international event “River Cleanup”. 

Activities focused on cleaning banks of rivers and other water sources happened in various places, organized by non-profit organization Human Health Institute n.o. - Inštitút pre ľudské zdravie (HHI), as a part of their platform Žiť vedomo (Live Consciously), and in collaboration with other NGOs and initiatives.

“We organize cleaning of rivers regularly, to point out how much needed it is to protect our health, nature, and the precious water resources. In our activities, people gather and help clean the environment but can also sense an intense experience of connection with nature,” explain the aims of activities the initiators of the project “Zaži čisté rieky - Clean Rivers Experience” - the founder of the institute HHI, activist focused on support and protection of health and environment PhDr. Erika Jung, MBA, environmental specialist and project manager Mgr. Lucia Olívia Ďurčová and architect, artivist and facilitator Mgr. art. Dominika Belanská. “This year, it was already the second time that people in different towns and villages joined to clean together. We are happy and proud to see they participate repeatedly and this way to express their support to the common vision of clean rivers and healthy environment. Together we support the global ecological movement on a local level.”

Thanks to the international collaboration with the organization River Cleanup, based in Belgium, Slovakia joined 16 other countries in 5 continents, where on this day, on 74 different places 4000 volunteers cleaned riverbanks in a joint effort.

n Slovakia people willing to offer their free time to the protection of nature gathered in the capital, Bratislava, near river Danube in watermen’s club Dunajčík, in city of Komárno near the newly built bridge over Danube connecting Slovakia and Hungary, in Hurbanovo they cleaned along the river Žitava and in Budmerice they focused on river Gibra. In the next few weeks, they will be followed by people in Trnava and Senica.

In a couple of hours, the volunteers have collected together a huge amount of trash. Most of the trash has been left there by negligent visitors or inhabitants, who dump their waste illegally. Some of the places are polluted by people who are without home and for this reason also without access to communal services. A smaller part of the trash comes floating on the river and gets caught at the riverbank.

In september, dozens of volunteers participated, in different regions of Slovakia, thanks to collaboration with other organizations and coordinators from these locations:

Bratislava

On Sunday, 27th September, as a part of nation-wide event “Zaži čisté rieky - Clean Rivers Experience” and international event “River Cleanup”, an activity focused on cleaning the banks of river Danube took place in the capital city of Slovakia, Bratislava. A group of people willing to offer their free afternoon to the protection of nature, has met in the oldest of local watermen’s clubs, Dunajčík. The activity was managed by Lucia Olívia Ďurčová. The group work included a sharing circle with music, facilitated by Dominika Belanská. Activity was organized under the auspices of the Mayor of Bratislava Capital City.

In one and half hours, the volunteers collected the amount of trash equivalent to 3 containers. Most of the trash in the area was a result of negligence of visitors, but also people without home, who temporarily inhabit the area. A smaller part of the trash comes floating on the river and gets caught at river’s banks. The disposal of all trash collected was taken care of by company OLO - odvoz a likvidácia odpadu Bratislava.

Cleaning of the area is organized regularly at least once a year. This year it was already the second time -  the volunteers took care of this area, also called Lido, already in June, during the event  “Zaži čistý Dunaj”, in a common action with Association of Watermen’s Clubs in Bratislava.
Video from action: Zaži čisté rieky - Dunaj, Bratislava (youtube)

Komárno
 

On Sunday, 27th September, as a part of nation-wide event “Zaži čisté rieky - Clean Rivers Experience” and international event “River Cleanup”, Komárno also joined to clean the banks of Danube river. The city of Komárno is located in the South-West of Slovakia, near the junction of rivers Danube and Váh. A group of people, families, volunteers willing to devote their sunday afternoon to the protection of nature, has met on the island of Saint Elisabeth.

Together they collected a huge amount of trash, which woul fill approximately 12 containers. Most of the trash here was left by the visitors, negligent of their impact on the environment, or by people carelessly creating illegal dump sites. Some parts had traces of pollution by people who do not have home. A smaller part of the trash comes floating by the river and gets caught at the river bank.

In this area, cleanups are held at least two or three times per year. This time it was already a second joined action with Municipality of Komárno, members of Domobrana Comora, Primary School Pohraničná and ecologically aware and responsible Komárno citizens, after the event “Zaži čistý Dunaj - CLean Danube Experience” in June 2020.

Hurbanovo

On Sunday, 27th September, as a part of nation-wide event “Zaži čisté rieky - Clean Rivers Experience” and international event “River Cleanup”, the city of Hurbanovo also joined and cleaned the banks of Žitava river. Located in the south-west of Slovakia, Hurbanovo lies near the junction of the rivers Žitava and Nitra. A group of people willing to use their Sunday afternoon for the protection of nature was coordinated by Gabriel Krivánek. Together they walked and perceived the beauty of the local environment, but also collected what does not belong there - rubbish, carelessly left there by other people.

They have collected a big amount of trash, which filled more than 9 big trash bags. Most of the trash was left over by visitors, but also people who, negligent of their impact on the environment, create illegal dump sites in the area. A little part of the trash arrives here floating on the river and gets caught at the riverbanks.

Each year, cleaning of the area is organized at least two or three times. This year, it was the second cleanup, organized in collaboration of Municipality of Hurbanovo.

Budmerice

A tiny little village called Budmerice located in western Slovakia also joined the international River Cleanup initiative on 27th September 2020. A simple Facebook event and an invitation broadcasted in the local radio was enough to make 15 volunteers across all ages to show up close to the local river Gidra. All of them equipped with rubber gloves and boots, they were ready to show the world that even people in rural areas care about nature and their environment.

In only 2.5 hours the small team of volunteers managed to clean up approximately 2.5 kilometers long section of the local river, filling up to 20 big plastic bags of rubbish. Old tires, plastic tables, plastic bags, single-use cutlery but even a full porcelain set of kitchen dishes have been collected from the river. All of that in a very positive spirit and attitude.

The whole initiative was supported by the local government office, which provided the volunteers with rubbish bags and organized collection and safe disposal of the garbage bags the day after.

Goal of the initiative was to clean a section of the river which is visible to hikers entering Budmerice on long distance hiking routes, increase awareness of environmental protection among inhabitants, and mostly involve younger girls and boys from Budmerice in order to teach them to better care for their environment and surroundings.

Photos by FB.

Upcoming activities

“Clean Rivers Experience” is an opportunity to intensely perceive, and enjoy the environment with all senses. For those interested in deepening their relationship with themselves, their body and the nature, the organizers prepare seminars “Experience - Surthrive” together with other specialists in the area of nature protection and holistic health. The upcoming seminar dates are 24th October 2020 and 7th November 2020, and will feature contributions by Michaela Davidovič, certified instructor of Wim Hof Method and Rolf Jung, therapist and yoga instructor. 

Further information can be found at www.hhi.institute and registrations for the seminars by email at hhi@hhi.institute.