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The two-year-long journey of the Act4Drin project aiming at raising public awareness, enhancing knowledge and empowering NGOs to protect and conserve freshwater ecosystems in the Drin River Basin came to its end, leaving behind a rich and lasting legacy of high quality outputs and successful results. The Act4Drin was a project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, led by MIO-ECSDE and implemented in collaboration with BIOSFERA, EDEN, GREENHOME, MES and KAWQA PRODUCTION.
More achievements than those planned in its inception were achieved, such as the Act4Drin NGOs Alliance, the Act4Drin Young Ambassadors and the Act4Drin Promoters, demonstrating clearly the type of impact and momentum the project has mobilised. It may be the end of the project but it is the beginning of a collective endeavour towards safeguarding the Drin, a place where one sees nature in its magnificence, where life and abundance bind together the river’s extraordinary elements in harmony and balance.
Discover below the main outputs and outcomes of the project and feel free to disseminate them as wide as possible…
The ActDrin travelogue ‘Living well in harmony with the Drin’
Launched today, the Act4Drin documentary immerses us in a fact-filled yet emotional travelogue along the Drin River Basin, the connecting body of five Riparian countries. It captures the outstanding wealth of habitats and species and highlights the crucial role of local communities in protecting and conserving this biodiversity hotspot. This documentary brings forward the core message of the Act4Drin which is all about “Living in harmony with the Drin”. The Drin River Basin is full of life, housing an exceptional wealth of biodiversity, providing important habitats for many species of fauna and flora, while delivering a steady stream of benefits to its residents. Whether we consciously realize it or not, freshwater ecosystems together with every bit of biodiversity they support and the ecosystem services they provide, are intimately interwoven with our ‘harmonious’ existence and welfare. You can enjoy the Act4Drin travelogue here
The Act4Drin booklet showcasing NGO actions to protect and conserve freshwater ecosystems
This booklet is a tribute to the extent and diversity of concrete NGO actions in promoting integrated water resources management and freshwater biodiversity conservation in the Mediterranean. This publication showcases the added value and particular strengths that the NGO community brings to environmental governance, such as leadership, creativity, flexibility, entrepreneurship and capacity for vision and long-term thinking.
The publication features a collection of actions undertaken by ALBAFOREST, SPP, MES, DPPVN, MIO-ECSDE/MEdIES, GREEN HOME, PPNEA, INCA, GRASHNICA and MIO-ECSDE. It was developed by MIO-ECSDE (Mediterranean Information Office for Environment, Culture and Sustainable Development – a Federation of 130 Mediterranean environmental NGOs) within the framework of the framework of the Act4Drin project funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF).
Find the publication here
The Act4Drin publication on the natural wealth and legacy of the Drin River Basin
For the first time ever a multilingual (five languages) publication that highlights the exceptional wealth of freshwater biodiversity of the Drin River Basin has been produced via a collective effort of the region’s civil society. It aims at raising public awareness on the value of our common natural wealth and ultimately triggering individual or collective actions towards safeguarding the basin’s biodiversity and its invaluable ecosystem services.
This publication concretely displays the commitment and solidarity of thirteen environmental NGOs of the region to protect and conserve the Drin River Basin.
Find the publication here
The unique transboundary Act4Drin Spring School 2016
A first of its kind transboundary Spring School entitled ‘The natural wealth and legacy of the Drin River Basin: from field observations and knowledge to collective actions towards protecting freshwater ecosystems’ brough together some 28 natural sciences students from the Drin Riparian countries in a joint quest for knowledge along the Drin. All Act4Drin Spring School participants committed themselves into becoming the Act4Drin Ambassadors. Immerse yourself in this recent collaborative experience and access all training materials at the following link (here) including the inspiring contributions from the brilliant participants of the Act4Drin Spring School!
The Drin Day 2015 & 2016 celebrations
Within the framework of the Act4Drin, wide-ranging celebrations were organized along the Drin River Basin in 2015 and 2016. These were the 2nd and 3rd editions of an annual initiative dedicated to raising the awareness of local communities and the wider public about the natural wealth and legacy of the Drin River Basin. The Drin Day celebrations brought together hundreds of participants in monitoring & research activities; networking events for NGOs & local communities; school students’ exhibitions; boat trips; cleanup actions; educational activities; interactive games; contests; awareness raising campaign on social media and so much more…Within Drin Day 2016 the Act4Drin project joined forces with the the Drin Project financed by the Global Environment Facility. The initiative was implemented in support and within the framework of the Drin Corda Process under the coordination of MIO-ECSDE and GWP-Med.
Thirteen NGOs from the five Drin riparians joined forces in early 2016 to form the Act4Drin Alliance aiming to protect and conserve freshwater ecosystems in the Drin River Basin. The Act4Drin Alliance is a coalition of NGOs aiming to act as a forum for coordinating and strengthening NGO participation in the upcoming policy developments in the region driven by the Drin MoU implementation process, enhancing cooperation and networking among and between regional, national and grassroot NGOs in the Drin Basin working on sustainable water resources management and freshwater biodiversity protection/conservation. The Act4Drin Alliance concretely displays the mutual trust, solidarity and strong commitment built among NGOs in the region towards the protection of the natural wealth and legacy of the Drin River. Read more here
The Act4Drin “Echoes from the Drin” short films triplet
The “Echoes from the Drin” short films triplet (Whispers of Water, Reflections of Life, Impressions of Humans) bring forward the core message of the Act4Drin which is all about “Living in harmony with the Drin”. The Drin River Basin is full of life, housing an exceptional wealth of biodiversity, providing important habitats for many species of fauna and flora, while delivering a steady stream of benefits to its residents. Whether we consciously realize it or not, freshwater ecosystems together with every bit of biodiversity they support and the ecosystem services they provide, are intimately interwoven with our ‘harmonious’ existence and welfare.
Enjoy the short films triplet here
Environmental NGOs solidarity display in SW Balkans
The Act4Drin project brought to the town of Lin, Albania, on the shore of Lake Ohrid, some 28 representatives from 18 environmental NGOs active in the SW Balkans (28-29 April 2015). Everyone engaged in a collective and collaborative learning process on integrated water resources management and freshwater biodiversity conservation in transboundary settings. Participants had the opportunity to take stock of their experiences on a wide range of issues including technical & research aspects, policy & advocacy, education & awareness raising, participatory science, etc. Intensive discussions and reflections resulted in a set of lessons learned and the identification of promising practices, which are showcased in the Act4Drin booklet.
Read more here
Act4Drin survey stock taking of environmental NGO capacities in the Drin
Act4Drin ran a one-month long survey targeted to environmental NGOs in the Drin riparian countries. The survey aimed to take stock of NGO capacities in promoting integrated water resources management and freshwater biodiversity conservation in transboundary settings. The key findings of this survey can be of use for future capacity building activities to ensure that they are tailor made to the real needs of the region’s NGOs.
Access the main findings of this survey here
An Act4Drin survey was carried out aiming to shed light on the prevailing public views and perceptions towards freshwater ecosystems in the Drin River Basin. This survey was prepared by MIO-ECSDE and was a pre-assignment of the Act4Drin Spring School 2016, organized by MIO-ECSDE in collaboration and with the support of BIOSFERA, EDEN, MES, GREENHOME, GRASHNICHA, PPNEA, PROGEO, SOCA TRIPS and the University of Tirana, under the auspices of the University of Korca. Some twenty six bright natural sciences students from the Drin Riparian countries, namely Albania, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Montenegro and Greece ran the 2-week survey from 22 April to 6 May 2016, targeting mainly the local communities of the Drin River Basin. You can access the main findings of the survey here