RESTORIVER Brings Zaghen Closer to the People at the Ivan Patzaichin – Rowmania Festival

The RESTORIVER European project was present on August 29 and 30 at the Ivan Patzaichin – Rowmania Festival in Tulcea – a large-scale event that combines the promotion of ecological values with traditional rowing, local culture, and sustainable tourism.

The festival celebrates the connection between nature, water, and community through a diverse program of cultural and recreational activities. The 2025 edition featured rowing competitions and canoe trips, alternative education workshops for children, local gastronomy fairs, exhibitions, open-air film screenings, theatre performances, live Rock’n’Row concerts, and a spectacular parade of traditional rowing and sailing boats on the Danube.

Over the course of two days, the RESTORIVER team hosted an informational stand dedicated to the ecological restoration of the Zaghen polder – a wetland area on the outskirts of Tulcea with a vital role in biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation.

The stand offered visitors visual materials, detailed explanations of the ecological interventions carried out within the project, and an opportunity for direct dialogue about the importance of urban wetlands. RESTORIVER team members interacted with citizens, tourists, NGO representatives, and environmental specialists.

The stand was complemented by a photo exhibition featuring images from the Zaghen polder, captured by Dr. Antal Boncoi, a veterinarian and passionate nature photographer, showcasing the area’s biodiversity and the subtle beauty of a landscape in ecological recovery.

The festival attracted approximately 15,000 participants over two days – both locals and visitors from across the country – who enjoyed educational daytime activities (workshops for children and adults, thematic tours, live demonstrations), followed in the evening by concerts and a gastronomy fair showcasing local culinary traditions.

RESTORIVER’s presence at the festival offered an excellent platform to promote the benefits of ecological restoration and to increase the project’s visibility at both local and regional levels. The public has shown strong interest in the theme of reconnecting the city with nature, and Zaghen – once a neglected area – was recognized as a tangible example of ecological regeneration with educational and tourism value.

Within the broader context of a festival that celebrates rowing, nature, and community, RESTORIVER’s participation emphasized the essential link between natural resources, local heritage, and citizen involvement in protecting fragile ecosystems.