(Ulm, 30.04.2018) 15 participants from 6 countries were trained to become "Danube Guide" trainers, on a five-day workshop at National Park Donau-Auen in Orth (Austria). The qualification of the trainers focused on different aspects, such as nature and culture, but also didactic concepts and methods. Within the scope of regional trainings in the different countries along the Danube, the "Danube Guide" trainers will act as multipliers in their region by teaching "Danube Guides".

Danube-culture-nature-guides also called "Danube Guides" have very distinct aims and visions. As for the visitors they want to make nature and culture of the respective region tangible in every way, and thus, make it an unforgettable experience. To guarantee a standardized training and to strengthen the mutual understanding of nature and culture in the Danube Region, fifteen participants from six Danube countries successfully completed the international qualification for "Danube Guide" trainers. This enables the participants to act as multipliers in their region by instructing further "Danube Guides". As a result, a network of “Danube Guides” is created, which aims to impart the importance of nature worth preserving to the public. Participants from Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Serbia, Croatia and Germany successfully completed the qualification.

The training not only focused on subjects like environmental protection and cultural heritage, but also showed the participants a didactic approach on how to be a good guide. The participants, for instance, also discussed, which characteristics a good tourist guide and future “Danube Guide” needs to fulfill. Furthermore, the emphasis was on raising awareness for sustainable mobility and easy accessibility, in order to make the experiences also available for guests with disabilities. Throughout a boat tour and a hike thru the Danube meadows, conducted by the experienced rangers of the National Park Donau-Auen, the future "Danube Guide" coaches had the chance to personally experience a nature tour on their own, in order to discuss and evaluate challenges, contents and applied methods together.

The training of "Danube Guides" is a pilot action within the EU-project „Local Economy and Nature Conservation in the Danube Region (LENA)", and thus wants to create new income opportunities for the regions and protected areas along the Danube. Donaubüro Ulm/Neu-Ulm is the responsible project partner for the realization of the pilot action The qualification program and the training of the "Danube Guide” Trainers were elaborated and conducted by the Donaubüro Ulm/Neu-Ulm and response & ability gmbh.

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