Location: Bled, Slovenia
Organizer: Zavod Bled Water Festival
Client: water experts, business people, politicians, water enthusiasts
Event: Festival
EVENT CATEGORY: CATEGORY CROSSOVER[/vc_cta][vc_custom_heading text=”Event description and key objectives” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_video link=”https://youtu.be/J_2ODNPKYB8″]
Bled Water Festival is held each year in June, in one of the most beautiful places on earth, Bled, Slovenia. The purpose of the event is to connect water experts, politicians, business people, school children, and enthusiasts, and seek solutions for better water management. On two festival days we presented water innovations, we screened water-themed films, and held 2 important round tables with the topic How to deliver knowledge about water to young generation.
Traditionally a water tasting from different water places around Slovenia was held and the water from Hotel Kristal from Bohinjsko was selected as the best. At the closing ceremony awards were given to the best and the most innovative water projects in several categories (corporate, individual, school competition). This year a special art exhibition was held – the artists painted their art according to the event topics. it was very well received.
The key objective of the Bled Water Festival event is to attract people and raise awareness about water and its issues.
The key challenge is the budget. We work with very limited budget (low budget or no budget). However, we have a large group of friends (so-called water enthusiasts) who help us with the organization of the event. They contribute their time and energy to the project that is close to their hearts. Despite financial challenges we are very proud to be able to organize such event with our volunteering friends.
The main theme of the Bled Water Festival is water, and its main channel is film. The water topics, issues and awareness are channeled through film.
This year we managed to connect water with art on another level: a special art exhibition of artistic work (paintings) was held through the entire event where artists used their creative mind to create works that remind them of water. The exhibition was very well received.
The Bled Water Festival is an innovation in itself; it is a leading water platform with international support by politicians, experts in water resource Management, economist, and educationalist. Each year, we organize an International Competition: Responsible towards Water in different categories (corporate – all sizes, national, individual and school), with support by the ministries for environment and Water Resource Management from the participating countries and experts. It is a process that connects national stories with economy, schools and crossborder cooperation. In 2016, the project was implemented at the national level in Slovenia, whereas in 2017, it was expanded to other European countries.
The 2018 event, held on 7 and 8 June, was a great international success, with guests from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, and even India.
Our most important achievement is a think-thank for new and revolutionary projects and products in the field of water that regard water cycle and have the characteristics of circular economy. According to the mentioned, we search for the best projects. With our projects, we have impacted general public as well as water and environmental experts, politicians, business people and film makers. Together we enable a cycle that will bring positive changes.
- several hundred people came to the event
- good media coverage
- guests from several countries (see above)
- great school attention
- support by ministries, politicians, business people, water experts, film makers, artists
- cross-border cooperation
- support by neighboring countries and other countries (India)
According to our guests from Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Hungary, Austria, and India, the event attracted great deal of attention in these countries. The most media attention/coverage was in Slovenia, but also Croatia. There were announcements in all main media houses. Slovenia’s most popular program POP TV held a report about the event in their prime time on Sunday.
With partners that share our vision (sustainable use of water sources with emphasis on the local circumstances), we have created a pool/consortium that will enable reaching the goals of sustainable development through CSR approach in international river/lake/sea areas. Our work is transparent and we are open to cooperate with research agencies, countries, and international organizations.
Our goals are clear: We follow them with concrete actions (see the results of last year’s Forum/Awardees; program of this year’s events: We also hold Competition from School Level to bring in awareness to Save Water, that is extended to Global Water Partnership Programmes, Workshops, Youth Parliament of Sava Commission, June’s Bled Water Festival in connection with meeting various countries, Forums like MKSB), and Government Agencies.