This year is important for the European Green Belt, its is 30th anniversary of the breakdown of the Iron Curtain. It is good opportunity to introduce the EGB to media.  That is why we invited 7 journalists from  5 countries on August 19-21, 2019 to gain insight in the EGB as well as in the D2C project.

The first part of press trip was joined with Jubilee event “30 years breakdown of the Iron Curtain”, organized by Environment Agency Austria, League for Nature Conservation Austria and Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism Austria. Within the event journalists visited very well designed information centre of the national park Neusiedler See – Seewinkel where they watched the conference and multi-vision show about the Green Belt and panel discussion of important stakeholders of a nature protection in the region. The event was visited also by Minister for Sustainability and Tourism in Austria Maria Patek, Minister for Agriculture and Environment in Hungary István Nagy and President of State Parliament of Burgenland Verene Dunst.

A big step for the European Green Belt in Austria was taken as the Federal Ministry for Sustainability and Tourism and der governments of the federal states of Austria signed the “Erklärung von Illmitz” in which they recognise the Green Belt as unique natural and historical heritage. They also declare to dedicate to the maintenance and development of the EGB as a part of EU Green Infrastructure.
Participants then attended the boat trip on the Neusiedler See to see typical habitats of the lake. The first day of the press trip was ended by common dinner of the jubilee event’s participants.

Early morning of next day the excursion was organized to Einser Kanal near Andau, an historical place of former Iron Curtain, which is today not only historical site but also a watch point of ornithologically important protected area.

Then journalists moved to Slovakia, to small town of Modra close to Bratislava, where the press conference was organized . Representatives of BUND Germany, Ministry of Environment Slovakia and State Nature Conservancy of Slovak republic explained the European Green Belt legacy as well as goals and methodology of the Date to Connect project. Journalists then participated in the field excursion to the state nature reservation Klboča in the Small Carpathian Hills. Day was finished by common dinner.

The last day of press trip consisted of another field excursion to the Green Belt area in Slovakia, the Devínske jazero just next to the Astro-Slovakian border river Morava. Then they moved to Devín to commemorate victims of the Iron Curtain at the memorial “Gate to Freedom” on the confluence of the Danube and Morava rivers. The press trip ended by common lunch with summarizing notes.

We consider the press trip very successful. Journalists actively asked many questions which D2C project staff answered not only by words but by concrete examples on field trips. No doubts the trip outcomes will contribute to increase an awareness about the European Green Belt and the Iron Curtain Trail.

Jubilee event “30 years breakdown of the Iron Curtain”

Morning trip to Einser Kanal near Andau

Press conference in Modra

Press field excursion to Small Carpathian hills 

Memorial of the Iron Curtian victims in Devín