Pollution of the Pek River – Look Around You

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 Pek River and the fight of Zaječar residents to protect artesian fountains. The host was the Food and Chemical School in this city, 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, representing the association, 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”, 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. These episodes were created as part of the project “Environmental Response to Mining Expansion in Timočka Krajina,” funded by the EU.

EU Green Week in Serbia is organized during the first week of June (from June 5 to June 12) with the aim of aligning with the theme of EU Green Week 2024, focused on water resilience, and will emphasize the fight for higher quality and cleaner water. This edition seeks to raise awareness, stimulate dialogue, and promote solutions to challenges such as water scarcity, pollution, and ecosystem degradation. The celebration of EU Green Week is a testament to the overall support of the EU sector in Serbia and its collaboration with national and local institutions in this endeavor, in the spirit of Team Europe. The European Union supports Serbia in achieving its own environmental protection and climate action goals, gradually raising them to EU standards while enhancing awareness among citizens, the private sector, and the media.