News

Brave women of Kruščica win court case against dam construction

A major court victory has been won by the Brave Women of Kruščica, a group of activists protecting their river from the threat of dam construction. The competent court in BiH this week ruled that the environmental permit for dam construction should be annulled immediately, meaning that any further construction work on the proposed dam is illegal.

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Blue Heart Screening in Vienna on June 19

The film ‘Blue Heart’ will be screened in the Hafenkneipe in Vienna on June 19th, at 9pm. The event is organized by SöRF FiLM FEST - open air and with free admission! However, there will be a donation box for the benefit of Riverwatch and the fight against the destruction of rivers in the Balkans.

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The source of the Sana must be proclaimed as Monument of Nature

Once again, Blue Heart partner Center for Environment and the entire Coalition for the River Sana gathered at the source of the river and protested against the destruction of the river. The blame goes to the Austrian-German Kelag company, which were responsible for building the horrifically destructive Medna powerplant.

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Charity dance for Blue Heart, Vienna

On June 17th, a charity dance event for the benefit of Balkan Rivers will be held at the Schmelz in Vienna. Several groups invite you to get to know folk dances from all over Europe and beyond. There will be live music and the program is designed with simple dances and explanations so that everyone can participate without previous knowledge. Admission is free; any voluntary donation will benefit the campaign "Balkan Rivers - Save the Blue Heart of Europe".

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Vjosa Science Expedition

Between April 17th and May 6th, eleven scientists from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Albania went on an expedition to collect data on biodiversity as well as ecosystem functions for the entire Vjosa river network. With great effort, 300 river kilometers were sampled by use of the most state-of-the-art methods and equipment. During this expedition – led by Dr. Gabriel Singer of the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries in Berlin – the Vjosa’s exceptional value was confirmed once more:

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Photo book: Kuçedra - Portraits of Life on Europe’s Last Wild River

Dublin-based documentary photographer, Nick St.Oegger, is launching his debut photo book: Kuçedra: Portraits of Life on Europe’s Last Wild River. The book is a snapshot into life along the Vjosa, as it faces the threat of being changed forever. The book is now available for purchase HERE.

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Plan A: What the hell is water?

So what the hell is water? Is it rare or common, generous or dangerous? Is it OK to drink water-intensive sodas and wear water-filled jeans? Is it important that our rivers are still clean enough to swim in? Should oil pipelines cross freshwater streams? Should rivers be used as hydroelectric generators?

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SAVE THE DATE: 1st European Rivers Summit

From September 27 to 29, we will hold a first European Rivers Summit, which will take place in Sarajevo. Goal of the meeting is to bring together river lovers and initiatives from all over Europe in order to exchange experience, develop ideas and network. The summit ends with a public Balkan Rivers open-air concert featuring artists from the Balkan region. Please share and save the date!

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Petition: Green Zones for Blue Rivers in Macedonia

The Macedonian Blue Heart campaign team (Front 21/42 and Eko-svest) launched a petition for the protection and against the destruction of the last free rivers in their country. PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION. The petition is posted in the national language only – that shouldn’t keep you from signing. Find the English translation here:

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World premiere of the “Blue Heart“ film on dam wall in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Against the spectacular backdrop of the Idbar dam wall in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the film “Blue Heart” was screened for the very first time last night. About 500 people visited the world premiere of the film, which documents the fight against the dam tsunami in the Balkans and the effort to protect these unique rivers in Europe.

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