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Information and Communication Strategy 1.OBJECTIVES The general objective of the Danube WATER project is to create a common management and monitoring system for water quality in extreme environmental conditions (floods, droughts, accidental pollution by chemical and radioactive substances), including providing a data and information dissemination mechanism, necessary for the regional development of the border area. Specific objectives refer to: i) increasing the capacity for a rapid intervention, in case of spills (for protecting the Danube Delta UNESCO-RAMSAR Reserve), ii) upgrading and approximating the monitoring networks for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the Danube in compliance with the requirements set by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), the Danube River Protection Convention and the Water Frame Directive (WFD) implementation. The purpose of the Water project is the sustainability of the intrinsic value of the area’s natural resources by prudent exploitation and effective protection of the environment. Considering that at the end of 2013 the information and communication activities were very in late, the project management team considered as a demand to up-date the information and communication strategy and the list of products and events will be organized for dissemination and communication and a new plan. As a result, is this Strategy including the time table of activities, which is a living document, being discussed and up-dated at each Management and Steering Committee Meetings. The main objectives of the Strategy are: To disseminate and support the uptake of project outputs to selected relevant communities (river basin authorities/water, national environment agencies, policy makers through the Common Implementation Strategy of the WFD 1

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Information and Communication Strategy

1. OBJECTIVES

The general objective of the Danube WATER project is to create a common management and monitoring system for water quality in extreme environmental conditions (floods, droughts, accidental pollution by chemical and radioactive substances), including providing a data and information dissemination mechanism, necessary for the regional development of the border area.

Specific objectives refer to: i) increasing the capacity for a rapid intervention, in case of spills (for protecting the Danube Delta UNESCO-RAMSAR Reserve), ii) upgrading and approximating the monitoring networks for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the Danube in compliance with the requirements set by the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), the Danube River Protection Convention and the Water Frame Directive (WFD) implementation.

The purpose of the Water project is the sustainability of the intrinsic value of the area’s natural resources by prudent exploitation and effective protection of the environment.

Considering that at the end of 2013 the information and communication activities were very in late, the project management team considered as a demand to up-date the information and communication strategy and the list of products and events will be organized for dissemination and communication and a new plan. As a result, is this Strategy including the time table of activities, which is a living document, being discussed and up-dated at each Management and Steering Committee Meetings.

The main objectives of the Strategy are:

To disseminate and support the uptake of project outputs to selected relevant communities (river basin authorities/water, national environment agencies, policy makers through the Common Implementation Strategy of the WFD at international, national, regional and local scale of the Danube Floodplain);

To increase visibility and awareness of issues associated with river monitoring under the extreme events, data communication, forecasting and warning the population in case of the environmental crisis (created by water, but also by atmospheric pollution and radioactive accidents);

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To engage directly with practitioners and relevant stakeholders in the development of the applications and tools delivered by the project;

To provide policy-relevant documentation and to advise policy makers and practitioners on cost-effective, sustainable measures to improve river ecosystems and to reach good water status.

Within Danube WATER, external communication and dissemination will play an important role in achieving its overall goal. This report defines the overarching communication and dissemination objectives of the project. Danube WATER’s communication objective is to increase awareness and appreciation for the need, potential and benefits of the activities to reach the Danube water good status and to protect environment in the Danube Floodplain through active involvement of and dissemination of project outputs to policy-makers, practitioners and stakeholders. The current “Information and Publicity Strategy” is a “living document”, which can be revisited and updated throughout the project duration. Danube WATER’s external Information and Publicity - Communication and Dissemination will be on the agenda of each Project Management Meeting and each activity working meeting, if needed.

Abstract

Within Danube WATER, external Information and Publicity - Communication and Dissemination will play an important role in achieving its overall goal. This report defines the overarching communication and dissemination objectives of the project. Danube WATER’s communication objective is to increase awareness and appreciation for the need, potential and benefits of river good status through active involvement of and dissemination of project outputs to policy-makers, practitioners and stakeholders. In order to achieve these objectives, tools used for communication and dissemination with principal target groups are devised. Danube WATER will apply some innovative communication tools, such as

(i) an active interaction with relevant working groups of the Common Implementation Strategy of the WFD,

(ii) local workshops at DANUBE WATER case study sites, (iii) interactive preparation of 4 regional events (Călăraṣi, Giurgiu,

Pleven and Constanza) and (iv) 3 Conferences: start-up conference, mid-term event and final

Conferences,(v) Press conferences for each major event (start-up, regional

events, final Conferences).

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The current Information and Publicity Strategy is a “living document”, which can be revisited and updated throughout the project duration. Danube WATER’s internal/external communication and dissemination will be on the agenda of each Project Management Meeting and each annual Steering Committee Meeting.

SUMMARY1. Introduction and background ___________________________________4 2. Dissemination and communication objectives ______________________5 3. Target audience _____________________________________________5 3.1 Defining principal and additional target groups ____________________5 3.2 Getting in touch with target groups _____________________________6

4. Key DANUBE WATER messages ________________________________8

5. Communication and dissemination tools _________________________ 8 5.1 Website / River restoration WIKI _______________________________9 5.2 Stakeholders’ workshops____________________________________ 10 5.3 Training sessions __________________________________________ 11 5.4 Project conference ________________________________________ 11 5.5 Leaflet and newsletters _____________________________________12

6 Policy integration ____________________________________________13

7 Other activities______________________________________________13 7.1. Representing Danube WATER at major events______________________14 7.2. Peer Review Publications____________________________________14

8. Visibility ________________________________________________________158.1. Outreach in media (interviews, press releases, press conferences) ___ 158.2. Standard Danube WATER presentation____________________________ 158.3. Standard Danube WATER posters and roll-ups______________________ 158.4. Project Portal for information and communication in the border area for warnings and environmental conditions_______________________________ 15

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8.5. Timing dissemination & communication activities___________________15

9. Links to other projects & activities _________________________________16 10. Visual identity _____________________________________________17

11. Acknowledgment of EU funding ________________________________18

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1. Introduction and background

This report defines the overarching communication objectives of the Danube WATER, sets out a plan on how to promote the project amongst stakeholders, engage the target audience and maximize the uptake of project results; promoting it Lp considered the Communication Plan content in Annex A 10 to Grant Agreement, which was updated and presented in more details, defining also responsibilities, sharing them between partners.

Danube WATER was a three-year strategic project launched in June 2012 that will address the achievement of the integrated water management and environmental protection objectives for the Danube Floodplain as required by the European Union Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD).

Danube WATER thus targets the development of guidelines and tools to make integrated water management and mitigation measures more cost-effective and to support the 2nd and future River Basin Management Plans (RMBPs) for the WFD; Danube WATER will provide this information through a web based toolkit for integrated water management, will have a role of a e-Learning application, being in the same time a dissemination activities. The Danube WATER consortium is comprised of scientists and practitioners from 13 partner organizations in Romania and Bulgaria covering a wide range of disciplines (hydrology, hydraulics and geomorphology, ecology, socio-economics, environmental assessment). In addition to its impact on the RBMPs, Danube WATER provided guidance to other EU Directives (Groundwater, Floods, Energy from renewable resources, Habitats and Birds) to integrate their objectives into conservation and restoration of the Danube floodplain as sustainable ecosystems. Goals of Danube WATER are (1) to provide a framework for integrated water management and (2) to assess more effectively the state of rivers, floodplains and connected groundwater systems, to offer decision support for further regional development.

The present Information and Publicity/Communication and Dissemination Strategy is structured as follows: Section 2 sets out the key objectives of the strategy; Section 3 describes the key target groups; Section 4 outlines the key messages of Danube WATER that should guide communication efforts throughout the project; Section 5 provides guidance on the key communication and dissemination tools; Section 6 gives the schedule of key activities; Section 7 outlines the role and the form of the Steering Committee of Danube WATER; Section 8 discusses the possible communication and dissemination links of

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Danube WATER with other project and activities; Section 9 lists key proxy indicators for measuring the success of communication and dissemination.

2. Communication & Dissemination Objectives

Danube WATER’s communication objective is to increase awareness and appreciation for the need, potential and benefits of integrated water and environment management through active involvement of and dissemination of project outputs to policy-makers, practitioners and stakeholders.

Within Danube WATER, communication will play an important role in achieving its overall goal. Four key objectives have been established to guide considerations and proposals for a communication strategy: - To disseminate and support the uptake of project outputs to selected relevant communities (river basin authorities/water managers (especially at theDanube WATER case study sites), national environment agencies, policy makers through the Common Implementation Strategy of the WFD at international, national and local scale); - To increase visibility and awareness of issues associated with river water quality and floodplain environment protection; - To engage directly with practitioners and relevant stakeholders in the development of the applications and tools delivered by the project (new monitoring equipment and harmonized methods, equipment for intervention, flood modelling platform, Integrated Informational System – SII WATER, including a Portal and a Stakeholders’ Forum); - To provide policy-relevant documentation and to advise policy makers and practitioners on cost-effective, sustainable measures to improve river ecosystems and feasible solutions for river restoration. 3. Target audience 3.1 Defining principal and additional target groups

To attain the project goal for harmonized methodologies of river monitoring and assess more effectively the state of Danube River, it is important that Danube WATER has a sound interface and positive relationships with the stakeholders who would be the first to implement and benefit from its outputs.

In addition, to facilitate swift implementation and uptake of project results, stakeholders will play an active role throughout the project in evaluating and assessing the “fitness for purpose” of the project results and deliverables. The partnership has both scientific and applied partners, who

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represent parts of the stakeholder community, reaching out to a wide network of end-users and stakeholders across the Danube lowland region. Stakeholders will be involved and informed throughout the project lifespan through interactive workshops and dissemination activities.

The Danube WATER project aspires to pay specific attention to interaction with stakeholders. The following elements (laid out in the following sections of this Information and Publicity/ Communication and Dissemination Strategy) are the main vehicles proposed to achieve this:

holding four regional stakeholders’ workshops; interaction with the Water Management Systems of DANUBE Floodplain

whose members are part of the stakeholders’ community; interaction with other ongoing activities witch established relevant

stakeholder networks, especially those ones financed by Civil Protection Mechanism, for emergency management, and interaction with working groups of the Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) for the WFD.

The target audience consists of the groups of stakeholders that will benefit from the results of the project (mainly Water Management Systems, Regional Environment Agencies, Emergency Situations Management Inspectorates). The Information and Publicity - Communication and Dissemination Strategy will maximize transfer and uptake of useful results and other outputs within each group forming the target audience.

The following have been selected as the principal target audiences of the Danube WATER, for which specific content and events will be provided with the aim of consultation/participation: The main target groups we identified to address during the project implementation are:

- Political authorities (ministries from both countries)

- Water authorities

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies),

- Non Governmental Organizations

- Scientific communities

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

-National institutes for increasing their capacity for warning

-Local and regional administration who will get better warnings

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In addition to the above principal target audiences, additional target groups will be indirectly integrated in the dissemination process and informed through publicly accessible channels such as the project newsletters and the WATER Portal (www.danube-water.ro) and web-site (www.danube-water.eu).

3.2. General public

Academic institutions, researchers and students (PhD and higher, students at the undergraduate and Masters level):

Environmental NGOs, charities and voluntary organisations; Sectoral stakeholders active in the following sectors - agriculture,

hydropower, navigation, tourism /recreation and fisheries; Consultants and private sector companies, commissioned by

authorities to work on river basin management and river restoration.

The core elements of the Danube WATER dissemination strategy, i.e. the main target audiences and principal tools that will be used, are represented in Table 1 below.

Table 1.Target groups and tools will be used for Information/Consultation.

CONSULTATION INFORMATIONTRAGET GROUPS-Water Management Systems-Water Directorates-Environment Agencies-Policy makers-River Basin Committees

TOOLS-Monitoring & site surveys-Harmonized methods-Integrated tools-Local policy

TRAGET GROUPS-General public-Universities-NGOs

TOOLS-Web-site-Portal-Newsletters-Scientific papers

The flood protection, water scarcity and drought management, will target local and regional water managers and the general public. Most of these projects are already well documented and known in the direct vicinity, but they could act as “best practice examples” and encourage water managers in the surroundings for implementing ambitious measures.

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The target is at least one major dissemination event per main group of activities, i.e. a combined regional / national conference and stakeholders’ meetings.

On this event, both the authorities responsible for the project and Danube WATER scientists will be present, while the water managers will give presentations about practical implementation of the key issued of the integrated water management in the Danube Floodplain (including their experiences with convincing land owners and stakeholders), the scientists will give a broader overview of best practice examples throughout Europe with the aim of making project developers feel part of a European community on river basin management. Further, options for implementing similar measures applied in the Danube low land in all catchments will be discussed, taking the following dissemination objectives:

- Consultation/participation of the following targeted groupso involvement of the River basin planners, national environment

agencies,o Policy makers

- Information ofo General publico Researcherso Students,o Sectoral stakeholderso Institutions promoting researcho Consultants.

4. Key Danube WATER messagesThe Information and Publicity & Communication and Dissemination

Strategy will deliver a number of key messages to the scientific and wider community. These are:

1. Europe is characterized by a dense network of diverse river ecosystems that provide essential ecosystem services. Despite huge investment in waste water treatment which improved water quality across the continent, rivers remain degraded. Thus there is a great need to better understand and predicts the costs and benefits of future river restoration and the benefice/costs of the Danube Green Corridor in the region.

2. The EU Water Framework Directive fundamentally changed water management in all EU states by using ecosystem health as the basis for

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decisions. All EU member states have drafted River Basin Management Plans with restoration measures focusing on restoring river hydrology and morphology, using the floodplains and enlarging the wet areas.

3. The ultimate goal of Danube WATER is to generate tools for successful and cost-effective integrated water management, considering the river ecosystems, and for improved monitoring of water quality and the biological effects of physical change on different river sectors.

4. Danube WATER partnership will develop protocols and procedures to support the common methodologies for monitoring, data collection and processing, for data exchange and forecasts and mitigation measures for the WFD and to integrate better restoration/green corridor design, with socio-economic activities in the Danube Floodplain.

5. Danube WATER will increase awareness and appreciation for the need, potential and benefits of integrated water management through active involvement of and dissemination of project outputs to policy-makers, scientists, practitioners and stakeholders.

The message was passed to the population and stakeholders through the first leaflet and brochure synthetized the principles were considered upstream, by:

“Preserving the Danube water quality means respect for life”.

5. Communication and dissemination toolsThis section provides guidance on the communication and dissemination

tools that will be used in DANUBE WATER. In addition to the tools presented below, Danube WATER will make use of the existing information-communication and publicity instruments of its partners. The latter include web-portal, websites, newsletters and social media to which partners participate. This will enhance Danube WATER’s outreach among the stakeholders. The main tools that will be used in Danube WATER are:- Project website and Portal- Four regional stakeholders’ workshops.- e-media/e-learning & training sessions- International conference- Newsletters & leaflets

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- Science-policy integration (preparing report of Activity 1 and three technical reports included in the indicators list).-Three WATER Conferences and other Conference participation- Science-policy integration (a.o. Policy briefs and reports, bilateral water and environment agreements).

Several of the tools to be used are standard practice in dissemination and communication, such as the website, stakeholders’ workshops, e-media application. Some of the tools, however, are more innovative, especially the science-policy interaction with the working groups of the Common Implementation.Strategy of the WFD, local workshops with stakeholders at some of the Danube WATER case study sites, interactive preparation of the stakeholders’ regional workshops, and a Project Portal.

5.1. Website / River restoration WIKI

The project website (http://www.danube-water.eu) and the river WATER Portal (http://www.danube-water.ro) will be the main tools for presenting DANUBE WATER to all parties interested in the topic and disseminating the project results and other forms of output. In addition, the project website will facilitate internal communication between partners. The website will remain active up to three years after the end of the project (2018). The long-term hosting (after 2018) of the project outputs on the web will be further discussed and clarified at the end of the project.

Aim for using this tool: The website serves as a knowledge platform for the target audiences and as a place to provide access to reports and freely available publications, case studies, Danube WATER news and water managers’ networks. Content: The website will include general information about the project and guidance on how to use project outcomes. Specific functions of the website which pertain to dissemination include:

Online Danube WATER newsletters (full text archive) with online subscription;

Cross-links to other key websites, e.g. ICPDR, FORECASTER, Water CoRe, Danube Floodrisk, DANCER, RESTORE;

Information on the Danube WATER stakeholders’ workshops (regional events) and mid-term and final conference. For these events, an internal area to collect comments and feedback from stakeholders will be set up;

Online background and training material for the Danube WATER summer school;

Online access to the main tools/applications developed in the project, explaining background and how to use them, including link to the web

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based interactive tool on river restoration originally built by the EU IWRM-net.

The river restoration WIKI (Task 6.4) is an essential tool for the project’s success during and beyond its duration. It will be GEOWIKI based and as such interactive allowing updates based on advancing knowledge. DANUBE WATER partners will contribute to populating the WIKI, as additional information needs become apparent. Case study descriptions in the WIKI are in English while background information can be in either English or national languages, as English may pose barriers to river basin managers.

Website Responsibility:The website technical set up will be carried out by the Ministry of

Environment and Water Management, and maintenance will be carried out together with the National Administration “Apele Romane” (ANAR). Content management will be the responsibility of ANAR and the Activities Coordinators.

The Coordinator and Activities Coordinators will make sure that all information and knowledge generated in the project are widely circulated internally among the participants. In the internal area of the website, the posting of documents will be made available to encourage knowledge exchange.

The website will be kept up-to-date with the latest news, materials and publications from Danube WATER.

All partners should regularly share new or interesting pieces of research, publications and information on related and relevant seminars and workshops with the Danube WATER partnership and stakeholders network for further dissemination (website and other means).

All partners should promote the Danube WATER website on their own individual websites and link to the Danube WATER website.

All partners should include the URL of the Danube WATER website (www.danube-water.eu) in all outreach materials (plus the Visual Identity, see section 10). Timeline: Website launch in July 2012; continuous maintenance until the end of project and will remain active up to three years after the end of the project.

5.2. Stakeholders’ Regional Workshops

Four stakeholders’ regional workshop varying from 50 to 100 persons will be conducted in the last year of the project:

- December 2015 Călăraşi Workshop, - March 2015 – Water Day- Danube WATER Project Celebration

Giurgiu Workshop,

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- May 2015, Pleven Workshop,- June 2015 – Constanta Workshop.The target group for this event consists of national representatives

(national water management authorities, environment agencies, RBD authorities), regional water managers - Water Management Systems in the Danube Floodplain Counties who are involved in the water management and water infrastructure maintenance, flood protection and pollution intervention.

If possible, the date of the event will be tuned with other related events to benefit from holding it back-to-back with another meeting that will attract a similar audience.

Aim for using this tool: The regional Workshops will be important milestones for Danube WATER. It is aimed primarily at presenting the project results of Monitoring System, of the Decision Support System, of the Modeling Platform and of the Portal, developed and implemented under the SII WATER, which will compile existing knowledge and make it available in a timely manner for the preparation of the second round of the RBMPs, including the Programme of Measures.

In addition, the workshop will be used to inform and steer the future work program of Danube WATER by presenting and discussing preliminary/mid-term results of harmonized methodologies and the overall project work plan with stakeholders and practitioners.

This discussion allowed that the stakeholders to provide feedback on the project and the tools developed mid-term.

Content: The preparation of the workshops includes the emailing of a “save-the-date”- notification cca. 1 months before the event (so that people put it on their diaries), a detailed Agenda and connected activities were planned. Before the event, the draft Agenda of the workshop will be posted on the website and will be distributed to the registered participants to the workshop, was asked through targeted questions to comment on it. This information was used to adapt the Agenda and to address the participants’ needs and expectations. The detailed Agenda will be announced at least one week before the event. Participants will also be asked to provide online feedback on specific deliverables of the project activities and to get recommendations on how to reach the program and project indicators (especially from A2, A7, A10 and A15), which will be selected for discussion and presentation at this event. The outcome of the workshops will be synthesized in a published workshop minute, in which will be mentioned the publications were distributed and publicity material.Responsibility: LP, Pp2, PP3, PP5, PP9.

5.3. e-media and project movie

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E-media / e-learning application and the project movie will be ready in the final stage of the project (June-July 2015) addressing students and young water and environment personnel; at least 10 CDs with e-media application will be given to schools/universities and water management systems. LP will give 5 DWDs to all partners, to be distributed in this respect.

Responsibility: LP

Timeline: Date of e-media and movie DVDs was settled for last 2 month of project implementation. Presentations, meetings movies sequences and other working materials will be ready by June 2015.

5.4WATER Conferences

Three conferences will be prepared during the project implementation: start-up conference (Bucharest, June 2012), intermediary conference (Bucharest, November, 2014) and a final conference (Bucharest, July, 2015) will present the outputs of Danube WATER to a large audience (target 100-150 persons) of water managers, scientists, university representatives and of the Academy of Sciences and policy-makers; other invited papers and conference sections will be prepared. Intermediarry event will be organized back-to back with INHGA Annual Conference and International River Network of Europe (EURO INBO, 2014).

Aim of using this tool: The aim of the conferences is to present and discuss the project outputs and to foster the uptake into practice. The conferences will also provide the opportunity to support the science policy integration for water management and environment.

Content: The program will be a blend of practical outputs and technical progress, by implementing the 17 activities. Participants will be introduced to the decision support tool developed to aid end-users in the planning process for successful and cost-effective intervention, for monitoring rivers, floodplains and connected groundwater and river forecasting.

The outcome of the final conference will be synthesized in promotional materials distribution and of the Guidelines (printing documents and CDs), the brochures with results and leaflets.

The project movie and e-media application will be also distributed based on the institutional representatives participating in the meeting and LP will give 5 exemplars to each partner.

5.5. Leaflets and newsletters

The 4/5 newsletters will be made available in digital form on the project website such that they can also be easily printed for wider dissemination. Printed documents will be available for the regional events

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and midterm and final conferences, providing information about the partnership team activities linked by Danube WATER Project and other connected projects.

Project leaflets will be disseminated at the start-up of the project (start-up project leaflet will be available in 3 languages; RO, EN, BG. Further in time, ones acquisition will be finalized, other leaflets will be printed for equipment presentation and will be disseminated for informing participants in the training session and stakeholders about the public money use.

Aim of using these tools: The project leaflet and newsletters will serve the general dissemination of the project. They will promote Danube WATER work, events, publications, news and results, and visits to the Danube WATER website.

Content of the leaflets: The start-up project leaflet will be ready in December 2013 and presents the project outline and background information in simple language and provide website and contact information. The leaflet with be available in three languages: English, Romanian, and Bulgarian. Mid-term leaflets will present equipment, activities description and partial project results (Pp2-ANAR is responsible for editing them).Final leaflets will be prepared for local administration, to be disseminated to local town halls in the eligible area, to be posted for population visiting the local advertising areas. Organized by the representatives of the town halls. They are also distributed to water management systems and regional environment agencies. Interested stakeholders could get exemplars from this logistic places.

Content of the newsletters:- The newsletter will be publicly available almost every 6 months in digital form in English on the project website;- The newsletter will describe the progress of the project, particularly the most recent results and events. The respective responsible partners will provide input to the newsletter. Each newsletter will contain an editorial section concerning a specific aspect of the project, written by one of the specialists in the consortium, but using widely understood text; - The target group is the scientific and water managers’ communities, public administration and policy makers, and interested members of all target audiences of Danube WATER (e.g. practitioners, authorities, stakeholders); - Free subscription to the newsletter will be possible online via the project website; - Dissemination will take place via email, using the list of subscribed members and printing docuemnts at the project events;- Partners can copy the content of different news items and distribute them using their existing communication materials such as their own newsletters, email lists and their websites, as long as the Danube WATER Visual Identity

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is followed (logo and URL http://www.danube-water.eu/ for more information - see section 10). Responsibility: LP, PP2, PP2, PP5Timeline: Leaflet: June 2014, November 2014, March 2015, June 2015; Newsletters: June/July and October/November of each year.

6. Policy integration

This task will mainly target policy making and implementation directly relevantfor the topic of Danube WATER as well as policies involved in neighboring fields, e.g. biodiversity, navigation, flood control, agriculture, and renewable energy production. The key target groups are participants to the WFD CIS working groups. At the kick-off meeting of Danube WATER, the following working groups were identified as important: - WFD & Hydromorphology (especially subgroup on the inter-calibration of good ecological potential (GEP) in heavily modified or artificial water bodies) - ECOSTAT- Ad-Hoc Activity Science-Policy Interface (SPI)- Floods- WFD & Agriculture- WFD & Biodiversity

Aim of activity: The close linkage between Danube WATER and the Experts Groups of ICPDR and WFD CIS policy activities bilateral agreement in water management working groups, especially for RBMP aims to secure and strengthen Danube WATER’s tie to the WFD implementation processes at the Danube Basin level and also EU wide and support science-policy integration.

Content: participating and data and information preparing as support for the regional and EU water and environment policy implementation in the border area (Romanian and Bulgarian participation in different meetings.

7. Other activities

7.1. Representing Danube WATER at major events

The project will be represented at major national and international conferences and other events relevant to the theme of Danube WATER; each year few papers and communications will be present in SGEM international conference and in the INHGA Annual Conference.

7.2. Peer-reviewed scientific publications

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Danube WATER defined a target number of scientific publications in the work description – at least 20 peer-reviewed scientific publications will be written by project partners, will be printed in the local press in the targeted area – Danube Floodplain.

During the time-life of the Danube WATER, the Project Implementation Team of Danube WATER regularly updated the list of scientific publications prepared by project partners;

The scientific information compiled in preparation for the stakeholder regional workshops and intermediary conference will ensure a set of publications will be written in 2014;

The majority of publications is expected to be prepared during the last year of the project based on project results (2014-2015).

8. Visibility material

Options will be explored to show the work of Danube WATER in newsletters (e.g. Science for Environmental Policy, Newsletter of DG ENV) and environmental/water magazines of broad use (mainly in the EU and in the RO-BG border region). Newsletters and magazines published by project partners, when available, should also be considered to promote and circulate information and results of Danube WATER activities at the national level. Partners are encouraged to write short articles on key interim outcomes of Danube WATER in national journals targeting the audience of the water projects such as engineering or water manager’s organizations. Such articles in national languages will contribute significantly to raising stakeholder awareness and appreciation about Danube WATER on national level.

8.1. Outreach in media (interviews, press releases, press conferences)

The Lead Partner and other partners of Danube WATER may be invited to give interviews in scientifically-relevant magazines and journals and other media (e.g.TV or radio). These activities should be documented as soon as possible in the participant portal under dissemination activities by every partner. Partners are encouraged to make press releases in national languages, especially when regional workshops and conferences are taking place. Water and Danube Day will be celebrating, and inviting children and stakeholders, will be organized information events and project documents were disseminated.

8.2. Standard Danube WATER presentation

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LP will prepare a standard Danube WATER presentation in English that can be used by all partners for project information. In addition, partners may provide on voluntary basis the translation of the Danube WATER presentation in Bulgarian to be used at national level. The need for an update of the presentation will be considered at each Project Meeting.

8.3. Standard Danube WATER posters and roll-ups

LP together with PP3 and PP2 will prepare a standard Danube WATER poster for display in English that can be taken by all partners to conferences and other events they are attending. This tool will be available for December 2013, and activities posters/roll-ups will be prepared for regional events (first regional event is planned in Calarasi, December, 2014). In addition, INHGA provide on voluntary basis the translation of the Danube WATER poster in Bulgarian, to be used at national level. The need for an update of the poster will be considered at each Project Meeting (working meeting or management meeting).

8.4. Project Portal for information and communication in the border area for warnings and environmental conditions

All partners should list every relevant dissemination activity where Danube WATER is presented or where Danube WATER takes part in the organization in the participant portal; related events in organization also will be posted. The LP will inform all partners on how to record this in the participant portal.

8.5. Timing dissemination & communication activities

The following table summarizes the schedule of key communication and dissemination activities throughout the lifetime of Danube WATER. This schedule will be regularly updated, considering the development of the project.

Table 3 Schedule of key communication and dissemination activities

Event Responsible partner

Data

Danube Day 2014 – Celebrating with children and population in Giurgiu and Braila (drawings exhibitions on the ships) – water trips, discussing about water quality, localities living along the Danube, reserves and protected birds and fishes

LP June 2014

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Mid-term Conference/event LP&PP3 November, 2014

First regional event Calarasi PP5 December, 2014

Second regional event Giurgiu: “Water Day – Danube WATER Project Celebration” Workshop

PP2 March, 2015

Third regional event: Pleven Workshop

PP9 May, 2015

Danube Day celebration – Pleven, together with children and local communities

PP9&PP12 June 2015

Fourth regional event: Constanta Workshop

PP3 June, 2015

Final Conference LP & PP2 July, 2015

9. Links to other projects & activities

Danube WATER will establish coordination with the following ongoing projects and activities, which are relevant to the objectives of Danube WATER:

- Activities of the Danube WATER will be linked by the ICPDR Commission activities, by Danube Strategy Stakeholders’ Meetings.

Flood CBA, RESTORE, DANCER projects meetings will be followed up, to be informed about some other initiatives in water and flood management and about upstream Romanian – Bulgarian border.

This list is neither limited nor exhaustive. In due course new linkages with other relevant projects and activities may be established.

10.Visual identity

10.1. Project logo and colors

Figure 3 below shows the distinctive logo developed for the Danube WATER project is accompanied by Figure 1 which shows the header developed from the program rules; in case of the Romanian documents, logo of the structural funds will be added – figure 2. Figure 1 Program identity logos

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Figure 2 Stuctural Funds Logo

Figure 3 Logo of Danube WATER

The Danube WATER logo combines a stylized river transport, with water use by population, and protected species, integrated managed in the border area and with the lettering of the word “Danube WATER Integrated Management”. The loop also depicts the idea of a change in thinking and behavior. This visualizes one important objective of the project which will lead to a better catchment management. The Danube WATER logo is incorporated into the header of the Danube WATER website, communication paper format.

10.2. Templates

A “slide presentation template” (in MS PowerPoint format) has been designed to incorporate the logos. All internal and external presentations of Danube WATER work will use this MS Powerpoint template, including the river sector, the program logos and the project logo on the first page (including the RO-BG Program visibility rules).

In addition, a cover report template (in Word format) was produced in December 2013, to be used for all Danube WATER reports. Each deliverable of Danube WATER should have a maximum 2-page management summary written in jargon-free language (fit for dissemination to the general public and policy makers).

11.Acknowledgment of EU funding

All dissemination activities and publications in Danube WATER (including project reports, peer-reviewed scientific publications, articles in magazines etc.) should include the following statement (from Identity Manual): “Investing in your future! Romania – Bulgaria Cross Border Cooperation Programme 2007-2013 is co-financed by the European Union through the

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European Regional Development Fund”, and the Grant Agreement No. 282656 (DANUBE WATER), MIS ETC 161 should be included in any correspondence, for project easy identiification.

When displayed in association with the Danube WATER logo and partner logos, theEuropean emblem and Program logos should also be given appropriate prominence.

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ANNEX 1. The information and publicity activities carried out during the project implementation

Date/Period

(dd.mm.yyyy)

 Ex. Activity 1: objective, target group, content, distribution/dissemination 1 Promotion

Writing and distributing press releases to local media

Target group:

Media, general public

Press release on 29.06.2012

Press release on 21.09.2012

2 newsletters on the project website at http://www.Danube -water.eu/ro/ on 26.06.2014

Danube WATER Project was present in EcoMediu exhibition, in Arad

Publication on 22 June 2014 – for the ship procurement on ”Ziua de Constanta”

Local TV interview (Arges County, Piteşti), visiting LP, PP3 and PP10 the premises of PP2, to see the automate stations installing, the data

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communication and processing and the Basin Forecasting Centre.

-1 newsletter October 2014

-1 newsletter March 2015

-Press conference in Giurgiu Stakeholders’ Workshop, celebrating Water Day

-Danube WATER Project was present in Environment Exhibition, in Parliament House, May 2015 (Environment Day)

-Press Conference in Giurgiu and Tulcea, celebrating Danube Day, 2015

-Pleven Journals publication of an article for Danube Day Celebration

-Press Conference, July 2015 – final Conference

2 Web-page of the project

The project’s objectives and activities, the project’s partners, the main

The webpage was prepared and available on 16.07.2013.

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results of all activities and of the dissemination action shall be on the included on the web-support

-Web-site design, realization in terms of content

- Maintenance

Target group:

- Political authorities (ministries from both countries)

- Water authorities

- Environmental Protection Agencies

- Non Governmental Organizations

- Scientific communities

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

- members of PIAC

Project site was maintained by PP2-ANAR and was up-dated, in June-July 2015, to get all activities reports and indicators supporting documents

3 Brochure, leaflets, DVD support

These products shall be distributed with the occasion of seminars for training concerning the content of the training meeting

- Realization in terms of content

- Layout

Dec 2013 (leaflets and brochure) – LP distributed them during the project events and trainings were organized for water management experts from Water Administrations

A brochure with results was 24

- Printing

- CD recording

- DVD recording

Target group:

- Water authorities

- Environmental Protection Agencies

- Non-governmental organization

- Scientific Communities (Universities, Academy of Sciences)

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

published and disseminated during Giurgiu Stakeholders’ Regional Workshop; this brochure was also used for press conferences for Danube Day, 2015 and for final conference – 50 press conference files were available

Memory sticks available in December 2013 – they were used for documents/reports/draft guidelines and data exchange during the partners’ meetings and information distribution for stakeholders’ events; they were also used for trainings for increasing capacity

CD/DVD support – available in June 2015

4 Manual and leaflet

Manual of the integrated common model, describing the functioning of the hydrological and water quality models

- Realization in terms of content

February 2014 &June 2015 – PP3 – INGHA prepared the informative documents

March, PP2-ANAR prepared equipment’s presentation leaflets, were distributed

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- Layout

- Printing

Target group:

- Water authorities

- members of PIAC

during Giurgiu Stakeholders’ Workshop

Manual was prepared by PP3, June 2015

5 Posters

Posters related to the main results of the project (initial stated 6 pieces, updated in 6 pieces and 12 roll-ups)

Target group:

- Water authorities

- Environmental Protection Agencies

- Scientific communities

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

December 2013 – 100 pieces of posters A4, A3 and 10 A0 were printed by LP; they were used for advertising in all regional events and for Water and Danube Day celebration

PP10 prepared one poster in Bulgarian

PP2 prepared 4 posters for project information dissemination

12 roll-ups were prepared by PP2-ANAR (2 pieces) and PP3- INHGA (10 pieces), which were used by partners’ during the project events and in exhibitions (Arad and

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Bucharest exhibitions, partners and stakeholders’ meetings, conferences)

6

EU reports

- Realization in terms of content

- Layout

- Printing

Target group:

-EU Community

- 17 activities reports and

- 10 Technical Reports were finalized during the project implementation. The list of technical reports is as follows;

R1:Study Report regarding the Eu standards for qualitative parameters of air, waterand identification of the common parameters monitoring and long term processing

R2:Report on the analysis regarding the compatibility of the current GIS database regarding environment and water…prpararing for INSPIRE Directive implementation

R3:Report of analysis of EU standards for qualitative and quantitative parameters of water

R4:report on the analysis of

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the monitoring network along the lower Danube

R5:Guidelines for synchronized monitoring – recommendation for inter-calibration exercize

R6:Report on the intercalibration exercize

R7:Report for preparing field activities to make compatible geodetic system

R8:Report presenting the models for forecasting and warning floods and dispersion of pollutants

R9:Report on groundwater system analysis and quality status

R10:Report for radioactive waste water management and deposit

- Layman’s Report was ready in July, 2015 and LP made activities summary for public presentation

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- Final technical report included an summary of the activities reports, including information was provided in the detailed technical reports

7

Steering Committee meetings

- Project consultant

- Catering Technique

- Rooms

- External Experts/ service providers

Target group:

- Political authorities (ministries from both countries)

- Water authorities

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

7 Steering Committees were held during the Danube WATER implementation, respectively:

25 of June 2013

23 of September 2013

16-17 of January 2014

05-06 of June 2014

11 November, 2014

15 April, 2015, Bucharest

23 July, 2015

8 Launch Event

- Project consultant

- Catering Technique

Held on 29.01.2013 at MMSC premises.

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- Rooms

- External Experts/ service providers

Target group:

- Political authorities (ministries from both countries)

- Water authorities

- Environmental Protection Agencies

- Non Governmental Organizations

- Scientific communities

- Stakeholders and users of water bodies (city halls, prefecture, county council)

- members of PIAC

9 Organization of several seminars for training on-line about the use of the integrated management system: hands-on seminar in knowledge the models, in using the equipment and the GIS system for performing environmental assessments over the water bodies for about 15 – 20 participants

Target group:

Training on Rivercat (PP3- INHGA) in 2013

Training Cheia – august 2013

GIS seminar in May 2014

Training Beia – 26.11.2013, 06.11.2013, 12.11.2013, 31.10.2013

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- National and regional administration

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1.Low flow and drought management guidelines in both Romanian and Bulgarian languages shall be distributed to the targeted group and shall be presented on the web-page of the project

2. Monitoring Guidelines – 3 volumes

2.1 Water monitoring

2.2 Monitoring for intercalibrating laboratories/ comparing interlaboratories

2.3 Environment monitoring (air quality and radioactivity)

3.Guidelines for wastewater technologies use for nuclear power plants Cernavoda and Kozlodui

Target group:

- Water authorities

Prepared in English January – June 2014 during, finalized end 2014, was translated and printed at the beginning of 2015 in Romanian by PP3-INHGA and was translated by Bulgarian partner PP10 INMH.

The guidelines was distributed at the final conference (July 2015)

The guidelines for water monitoring – vol 1 and 2 were printed in July 2015; all three volumes are available on CD and are posted on project site, in English (produced July 1015)

The Guidelines is available in English (July 2015), authors PP6-PP7-PP8 and was printed on CD of the Guidelines, by PP2-ANAR

CDs were distributed during

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- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies, NGOs)

- Scientific communities

the Final Conference

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Reports, maps and integrated analysis shall be presented on the web-page of the project and on the SII WATER Portal.

Target group:

- Water authorities

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies, NGOs)

- Scientific communities

First draft

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Distribution of the project products (e.g. Brochures, leaflets, notice boards, posters) for disseminate the results of this activities at the counties level and to different local administrations of the localities in the flooded areas

Target group:

- Regional and local administrations

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies, NGOs)

1500 flyers initially prepared

500 flyers disseminated in 3 languages for the local administration by LP and PP3, notice boards were also distributed by PP3 (May, 2015) and 3 posters were distributed by PP2 (July, 2015)

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- Schools

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 Awareness campaign

Target group:

- Regional and local administrations

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies, NGOs)

- Schools

Media campaign was started with the Danube Day 2014, involving schools and population in the border area –LP, PP2 and PP3 collaboration

During Water Day, 2015 in Romania was organized a press conference and a press communicate was released and in Bulgaria, was organized a meeting with schools and children, warning about the importance of water quality and saving environment quality (presentations were provided and finally children planted some trees)

14

Final brochure with project results

Target group:

- Water Management System at the county level

200 brochures with Project resuts were prepared by LP, March, 2015; bilingual brochure with project results was also prepared by PP3, was printed and distributed during

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- Regional and local administrations

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection Agencies, NGOs)

- Schoolsthe final Conference

15

Integrated Water Management e-media/e-learning application – printed on a DVD

Target group:

- Water Authorities

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection

- Schools and universities

- Agencies, NGOs

The application was available on DVD in July; was presented and distributed during the final conference, 23 July, 2015

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Documentary movie on DVD, referring to project implementation and the main activities results

Target group:

-Water and environment policy (ministries, from both countries)

Was produced by LP, available in July, 2015;

Was presented during the final conference and was distributed to partners and invited institutions

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- Water Authorities

- Environmental protection institutions (local and regional Environmental Protection

- Schools and universities

- Agencies,

- NGOs

- Stakeholders and water users

representatives

The DVDs were distributed in Bulgaria and in Romania at the University Libraries and in schools

Layman’s Report

Target group:

- Population- Stakeholders

Was produced by LP, available in July, 2015, by printing

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Agreements

Target group:

Political authorities (MMAP, MoEW)

Water authorities (Counties SGA, DRBD-Pleven)

Local administration

10 agreements were signed between partners, for project results capitalization, encouraging data exchange and information, in real time and forecasts, as follows:

1.MMSC-DAPP – installing equipment and data communication for emergency situation

2. MMAP-MoEW for data

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exchange agreement for RBMP finalization in 2015

3. INHGA-INMH – for automate data in-puts and Bulgarian territory Danube tributaries forecasts on the Danube – exchange information and forecasts

4. INHGA-EAMDR – forecasts dissemination on the Danube

5. ANAR-EAMDR – automate stations data exchange

6.ANAR-MoEW/DRBD – geodatabase use for further project results capitalization

7.ANAR-UTCB- Integrated geodetic system data exchange – at the stages along the Danube and at the wells- ensemble use

8. ANAR-Agentia pentru Exploatarea Fluviului Dunărea, Galati (AFDJ), pentru datele geodezice in sistem European, calculate/identificate la mire

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sau cu IGSU?

9.UTCB-EAMDR - Agreement for harmonized geodesic system data use in Romania and Bulgaria – common concept description in action plan for harmonized geodesic system for Romania and Bulgaria water monitoring system for Danube

10. ANPM-ExEA – data exchange for the environment quality – air quality data and radiation data

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Launch Event

Target group:

Political authorities (MMAP, MoEW)

Water authorities (Counties SGA, DRBD-Pleven)

Local administration

NGOs

A conference press was organized, where the Ms. Rovana Plumb, the Minister of Environment presented the importance of the strategic project Danube WATER

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Agencies

Public

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Intermediary event/Conference

Target group:

Political authorities (MMAP, MoEW)

Water authorities (Counties SGA, DRBD-Pleven)

Local administration

NGOs

Agencies

Public

Intermediary event was Annual International Conference of INHGA, where Danube WATER had a full day workshop (11 November, 2014) – oral presentations were provided and posters; abstracts were printed in the Conference volume and full papers were e-printed on CD of the Conference Proceedings

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Final event/ Conference

Target group:

Political authorities (MMAP, MoEW)

Water authorities (Counties SGA, DRBD-Pleven)

Local administration

23 July, 2015 - The final Danube WATER Conference, Bucharest, was a successful event, where all project information produces were disseminated, posters were distributed, CDs and DVDs were given in the Conference bags, together with caps and T-shirts with program and

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NGOs

Agencies

Public

project logos.

The main e-media information products were presented during the conference: movie, e-media/e-learning application for integrated water management and environment protection, and SII WATER modules for monitoring, Decision Support System and External Portal were presented.

Radio National presented an communication and project manager interview, many journals disseminated information about the project and the event.

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Regional stakeholders’ events/workshops (Calarasi, Giurgiu, Plevna, Constanta)

Target group:

Local administration

Water authorities (Counties SGA, DRBD-Pleven)

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Local administration

NGOs

Agencies

Public

22 Steering Committee Meetings

Every management meetings

(Sofia 2014, Bucharest, 2014, Ruse 2014, Pleven 2014, Sofia 2015, Bucharest 2015)

23 EU Reports – every 3 month

12 reports were produced, each 3 month and 36 monthly reports

24 Peer review papers

24 technical articles were printed in different journals and Conference Proceedings – the list is attached

25 Articles in Journal, mass media publications PP3 published 3 articles, were

printed by ?local journals

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