Rijeka, a Croatian BELC partner municipality leads the way in the EU Beach Clean-up initiative in the Adriatic Sea

On 19^th and 25^th of October 2024, the City of Rijeka, a Croatian BELC partner municipality took significant action in the #EUBeachCleanup initiative. This global campaign, that is also supported by the European Commission, aims to raise awareness of marine pollution and encourage citizens to take action to clean up beaches and coastlines. 

Over two days, a diverse group of volunteers, including students, divers, and local businesses, were mobilised to clean up beaches and the seabed. On the first day, more than 65 divers from Croatia, Slovenia, and Austria, supported by 50 volunteers and members of voluntary fire brigades, removed over 5 cubic metres of large debris from the underwater environment. On the second day, hundreds of primary and secondary school students collected more than 400 kilograms of waste from local beaches. 

The event was officially opened by Nenad Antolović, Director of Rijeka Development Agency “Porin” and Marko Filipović, Mayor of Rijeka, who is also a BELC member. The Mayor commended the enthusiasm and commitment of young volunteers, emphasising the importance of their contribution to environmental protection and highlighting the role of education through practical activities in developing environmental awareness. The local action was initiated by Mayor Filipović, as a reaction to a call to action from BELC, bringing the #EUBeachCleanup initiative to Rijeka. The organisation and coordination of the event were undertaken by EUROPE DIRECT Rijeka, which operates within the Rijeka Development Agency Porin. 

Although this was Rijeka’s first participation in this global initiative, based on the number of citizens involved, it proved to be the most extensive action of its kind in Croatia this year. Due to its success, it will certainly not be the last one.  

This local action is a prime example of how local authorities, such as the City of Rijeka, can collaborate with the European Union and citizens to address pressing environmental challenges, like marine pollution.  

The event was well covered by the local and national media, with numerous publications online, in print, and on TV and radio. The City of Rijeka published the following two articles: Day 1 and Day 2 where you can find more information and photos.