What is the Riverwalk all about?
Well, it’s all about rivers, of course, …but also much, much more!
“Riverwalk” is a powerful life-changing experience for young people who want to discover and protect rivers and have an intense cross-cultural experience but it is also a project that sends a clear message: while there is a need for renewable energy, it cannot come at all costs. With the number of free-flowing, wild rivers in Europe dwindling, it is critical to protect the most intact and ecologically important ones left.
What’s the problem?
Anthropocentrism has ensured that most rivers have been massively impacted by humans. In the last hundred years, man has changed rivers so much that he created new — previously unimagined — problems for himself and other species. With the riverwalk we will try to address these problems with a colourful, versatile programme. There have been several Riverwalks across Europe in the last years.
What do we aim for?
Overall, Riverwalk’s objectives are to develop participants’ personal connection to nature and rivers, explore topics of renewable energy, nature conservation and sustainability as well as develop competences such as leadership, team building, project management and active citizenship. At the same time, participants are invited to learn how to live and work together with youth from different backgrounds, resolve conflicts in a productive manner, and co-create a supportive, participatory, open-minded, communicative atmosphere and thus improve inter cultural understanding.
This project will raise awareness of the importance of protecting free-flowing rivers, explore topics such as balancing renewable energy development and nature protection, learn about threats to wilderness and mountain river systems. It will develop a core of motivated and active young adults who are willing to take action for river conservation and support the participants’ personal development and connection to the issues and region.
Who is behind this project?
The Riverwalk is founded by „WWF Austria“ and their youth network „Generation Earth“.
The Riverwalk 2023 is planned within the framework of Generation Earth’s Action Leader Training.
Veronika, Kioma and Anina are responsible for planning, organizing and implementing this year’s Riverwalk.
Riverwalk targets motivated young adults/leaders (18-30 years old), and combines action and activism, fun and outdoor experiences all into an exciting project that aims to increase awareness of the importance of free-flowing rivers, develop participants’ leadership skills, expand a growing international network of young environmental leaders, and form personal connections to unique and threatened river systems.
Details of Riverwalk 2023 – Oberes Gericht, Tyrol:
- Number/makeup of participants: 18 young adults (20-30 years old)
- Distance of journey: ca. 50km kilometers in Tyrol
- Dates of journey: 10th of July – 16th of July 2023
Riverwalks of the past
- Austria-Slovenia (2014)
- Italy-Slovenia (2015)
- Albania (2016)
- Inn River: Switzerland, Austria, Germany (2017)
- Kamp River (Austria) and Ammer (Germany) (2018)
- Lech River (Austria) (2019)
- Ötztaler Ache (2022)