We went to Brussels as finalists and we are going home as finalists. Although we did not win the Natura 2000 award, it was an honor for us to participate in this prestigious European competition and to be among the 6 nominated projects in our category. He won an Irish project where conservationists helped to change the setting of subsidies for farmers, so that they could manage Natura 2000 areas closer to nature and not be deprived.
The Natura 2000 awards were organized as part of the European green week #EUgreenWeek, the main theme of which this year is water – See water differently. The award ceremony was opened by Maroš Šefčovič, with whom we had a small talk about the importance of floodplain forests for recreation. Both the event and the networking part were very well organized, it is always worthwhile to exchange experiences with similar organizations from the EU. Especially in these times, it is good to remember that what we do as a non-profit organization is completely normal in other countries, it also costs normal money, and elsewhere, states rather thank non-profit organizations for a job well done. They can still appreciate it in the EU.
Photo: European Commission – Babylonia photo agency – Iris Haidau
