Green Week Concluded in Niš with Screenings of Films about the Pek River and the Protection of Artesian Fountains in Zaječar (VIDEO)

The Delegation of the European Union in Serbia marked Green Week from June 5 to June 12 with a series of activities under the slogan “Experience Water Differently.”

The association “Za Drinking Fountains” from Zaječar participated in the celebration by screening films from the series “Look Around You” in Zaječar, Novi Sad, and Niš. In each of these cities, a panel discussion was held after the screening, featuring experts in environmental protection and civic activists.

In Niš, the films showcased stories about the pollution of the golden the Pek River and the fight of Zaječar residents to protect artesian fountains. The host was the Food and Chemical School in Niš, which educates future environmental protection technicians. Professor Slobodan Milutinović, who teaches the subject Natural Resource Management at the Faculty of Occupational Safety, also participated in the discussion.

For years, there has been a citizens’ association in Niš called “Green Key,” and Olivera Milošević, who also participated in the panel discussion, believes that activism can lead to necessary changes, but that the persistence of citizens alone is not enough.

Boban Pogarčić, the president of the Association “Za Drinking Fountains” from Zaječar, told the panel discussion participants about the fight to preserve the artesian fountains since 2015, when they began to dry up one by one.

During Green Week, seven episodes of the documentary series “Look Around You,” produced by the Association“Za Drinking Fountains”, were showcased on the EU website. These episodes were created as part of the project “Environmental Response to Mining Expansion in Timočka Krajina,” funded by the EU.