Let’s clean-up Drin River that join us in Kukes, Gjakova, Diber, Istog

In the Framework of the project CRESSIDA “Pollution of DRIN River Basin from urban Waste” Cross border AL – KS pilot project it was realized the campaign: “Let’s clean-up Drin River that join US” in Kukes, Gjakova, Diber, Istog. The CRESSIDA project includes the municipalities of Dibra and Kukës in Albania, as well as the municipalities of Istog and Gjakova in Kosovo, and aims at addressing urban waste problems along the Drin River.

The open ceremony was done at the bridge near the entrance of Bushati village part of the administrative unit Bicaj, Kukes. In the open ceremony were present representative of Cressida Project, representative of Kukes Municipalities, the Head of Administrative Unit Bicaj, the Director of the regional Albanian Protected, the headman of Bushati village, representative of civil society in Kukes, innhabitants of Bushati village, pupils of Bushat school.
Representatives from civil society in Kukes were like DMO Kukes, Ekologet, Alpinistet, and Youth Centre for volountarism progress etc.
Kukes was choosen to start the campaign, because it is the city where White Drin and Black Drin join together and where urban wastes are joined being thrown by the residents along two lakes.

9 days Clean-Up Campaign in Kukes

3rd -11th October

– To coordinate the campaign and preparing the stakeholders and the participants (materials, people, the scenario how to start by polluting)
– To observe the clean up territory from the marshes till up to the Canyon
‘Let’s clean Drini River that joins US in Kukes’
On 3rd October 2016 was the start of 9 days campaign in Kukes ‘Let’s clean Drini River which join us in Kukes’ from Përroi të Shejës, to the canion, to the point of the meeting with Drini i Zi and to be continued till to the slough. The open ceremony was done at the bridge near the entrance of Bushati village part of the administrative unit Bicaj, Kukes. In the open ceremony were present representative of Cressida Project, representative of Kukes Municipalities, the Head of Administrative Unit Bicaj, the Director of the regional Albanian Protected, the headman of Bushati village, representative of civil society in Kukes, inhabitants of Bushati village, pupils of Bushat school.
Representatives from civil society in Kukes were like DMO Kukes, Ekologet, Alpinistet, and Youth Centre for voluntarism progress etc.
Kukes was chosen to start the campaign, because it is the city where White Drin and Black Drin join together and where urban wastes are joined being thrown by the residents along two lakes.
During this week, we organised several with the inhabitants, debate, discussion in their territory, about the pollution, the waste etc. They said that is very important not only the municipality to take care about the waste, and the pollution but also the habitants should take care about their territory and community. There were around 200 participants that joint to the campaign and 2000 trash bags gathered during the cleaning up campaign.

3 days cleanup campaign in Gjakova

9th – 11th October

After Kukes, the campaign continued in the Municipality of Gjakova. On Saturday, October 8th, at 11:00 am, began Cleaning of the River Krena from Islam Beg Bridge to Bridge Talic. To this campaign were joined Municipal Assembly- Gjakova. KRM Çabrati and the Youth Gjakova Centre with thirty young volunteers. The area of the river was filled with a lot of waste, cleaning it, was transformed good area for walking. This action was helping as a model for telling to the inhabitants to not throw the urban waste in the river, but in the waste bins and get more careful about the environment pollution. Although the raining days, the workers were ready to get involved and contribute to this cross border campaign which was getting organized at the same time in four communes in AL and KS. In total there were present around 60 participants that joined to the campaign.

1 day Clean Up Campaign in Istog

11th October

It was held simultaneously the cleaning campaign in ISTOG and Diber. Istog cleaning action was near Istog River. The campaign was supported by Istog municipality through the Service Sector. The cleaning action was held at the bridge in the village of Zac which it means 17 km away from the source. The actors who participated in the cleaning action were the head of the environment department, Mrs. Elfete Blakaj, ten young activists, as well as participants from Environment NGO. Sector of Services offered the service for garbage trucks. In addition to this action, were planted in the ground tables with slogans on environmental protection and water, as a rare asset of our territory. There were around 20 participants that joined to this event.

1 day Clean-Up Campaign in Diber

11th October

The area of SPA in Peshkopi it was very polluted and meanwhile this zone is the economical engine for the town –a lot of businesses are installed there.
As the new Mayor was voted only one month before, we had a meeting with him, by presenting the US EPA team, REC Albania and GO2, and introducing the pilot project. He was very interested about the approach, and accepted to join us during the campaign of cleaning up at Llixha (SPA area). All the 60 workers of administration of waste management directorate were present and involved.
The businessmen took part and the Mayor was very un pleased about the situation –he promised publicly to take in consideration the area by interfering there in action.
The young participants were very active and ready to tackle this problematic, by taking us in interview in Radio, delivering the posters in businesses there, and offering a waste bag as a symbol to raise awareness about the waste pollution in this zone. There were around 100 participants that joined to this event.