Teenagers at the Milser Au in Tirollearn about plant life in one of the last alluvial forests along the Inn.

In June 2011, over 400 Austrian teenagers participated in the annual Danube Challenge. The Austrian Ministry of Environment and Coca-Cola Hellenic Austria invited school groups from across the country to participate in an action-filled day in the National Park Donau-Auen and in the Milser Au.

Since 2007 the Danube Challenge has worked to raise awareness among children and teenagers of the importance of responsible handling and use of our natural resources. A special emphasis is placed on the Danube and its associated rivers and streams, as well as on the indigenous plants and animals that inhabit the diverse eco-systems of the Danube River Basin.

Danube Challenge participants Juliana and Markus are joined by Susanne Lontzen of Coca-Cola Hellenic and Susanne Brandstetter of the Austrian Ministry for Environment.

This year, the first stop of the Danube Challenge took place on 22 June in the National Park Donau-Auen (Lower Austria). Each participating class visited eight fun and fact-filled stations. At every station the youths received an introduction into a specific Danube-related topic and then had to collectively complete a given task: they had to rap, find their way through a spider web maze, recognise and follow animal tracks, make a pantomime of different green jobs, design a poster out of natural materials, build a home for insects and much more! Upon successful completion of the assignment, each class was awarded a certain amount of points. The class with the highest score – and jubilant winner of a giant ‘pirate treasure’ filled with goodies – was the class 4a from the Krems Junior High School (BRG Krems) from Lower Austria.

Bringing the classroom to nature. On 27 June, the Milser Au (Tirol) hosted the second stop of the Danube Challenge. Here students from western Austria were able to spend an action-filled day at the Inn, one of the Danube’s largest tributaries. The Milser Au is one of the last alluvial forests along the Inn and houses an abundance of animal and plant life. Thus, one aim of the Danube Challenge was to let the teenagers experience the unique eco-system of alluvial forests. Another focus was placed on the fish of the Inn – whereas this river once boasted 31 different species, now only 17 remain, of which 11 are considered endangered. With the help of numerous live fish, the kids were not only introduced to these problems but also given the opportunity of a hands-on experience. After visiting seven challenging stations, the students
of the Schruns-Dorf Junior High School (HS Schruns- Dorf) from Vorarlberg managed to collect the most points and proudly accepted their prize: a treasure chest filled with goodies!

Green jobs as ‘dream jobs’. Pupils from the fifth grade up can apply for a spot in the Danube Challenge through the ‘Trinkpass’ – a folder that helps them document their daily water consumption, teaches about the importance of an adequate water intake and highlights a different ecological topic each year. This year’s topic was ‘green jobs’ and each teenager was invited to create a business card for their dream ‘green job’. Out of the 22,000 students who participated, the 16 classes with the most creative and original designs were chosen to take part in one of the stops of the Danube Challenge.

The rising number of schools participating indicates an increased interest in the topic of water. “The success of the Danube Challenge proves that Austria’s youth knows how valuable the natural resource water is and that it’s absolutely necessary that we protect it,” says Niki Berlakovich, Austrian Minister of Environment.

The winning team from Schruns-Dorf Junior High School in Vorarlberg celebrate their victory in the Danube Challenge.

Now, in its fifth year, the Danube Challenge has become not just a staple of the school calendar. “The Danube Challenge is one of the flagship projects of the Austrian Ministry of Environment in the field of raising awareness amongst young people”, says Susanne Brandstetter, Communication Officer for Water in the Ministry of Environment and Project Manager of Danube Challenge. “Every year hundreds of young people have the chance to spend an action-packed day at the Danube or in the catchment area. This day is a highlight every year - with lots of fun, knowledge and action”, says Brandstetter.

Teaching future decision makers. A large part of the Danube Challenge’s appeal lies on its unique approach to education. “The Danube Challenge creates a sense of enthusiasm that wouldn’t come about in a classroom because it takes place out in nature. In addition, the teenagers get a new awareness for water as a habitat as a ‘side effect’,” says Susanne Lontzen, Public Affairs & Communications Director at Coca-Cola Hellenic Austria. “Each year, the Danube Challenge shows how important it is to offer age-appropriate initiatives for youths. They are the decision makers of tomorrow and will be responsible for our environment in the future. This is why we see it as part of our social responsibility to impart knowledge about the environment and resources to them,” says Lontzen.

To support this cause, and in line with the European Year of Volunteering, employees of Coca-Cola Hellenic participated in the Danube Challenge, guiding the teenagers through the stations and supporting them in their quest for knowledge and fun.

This successful combination of environmental education with action and fun makes the Danube Challenge a true success for all involved, whether teachers and students or initiators and partners. And surely, all are looking forward to next year’s edition!

Stephan Bruck, at AQA GmbH, has been responsible for the concept, coordination and realisation of the Danube Challenge and the ‘Trinkpass’ since their inception.