World Water Day

Every year on the 22nd of March, the world marks the day of one of the most valuable resources: WATER. This transparent liquid to which humans are profoundly dependable yet is taken for granted. Bottled. Polluted. Wasted. Imprisoned into pipes and channels. Contaminated.

One of the most lively vessels of water are the rivers, and Shar Mountain is home to some of the most beautiful ones. In the last 4 years, these pristine rivers have been subject to unlawful destruction in the name of ‘green’ energy production.

This year, we will mark this day by discussing the impact of these constructions, the violations, the legal framework of Kosovo on renewable energy; findings of experts will be presented; we will promote the publication “Rivers of Shar” and display the photographs, essays and a poem submitted to our contest which was open last year as part of our Rivers of Shar project which was supported by the Embassy of Switzerland in Kosovo.

Guest speakers:
● Olsi Nika (Hydrobiologist): Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Hydropower in Shar National Park
● Donika Çeta (legal expert at the Center for Strategic Litigations - GLPS): Legal Aspects and the Case of Mini Hydropower plants in Shtërpcë/Štrpce, Dečane/Deçan, Kačanik/Kaçanik
● Representative of the organisation for environmental protection “Gjethi”: The case of hydropower plants in Kaçanik
● Afrim Lajçi (Advisor at the Interministerial Committee for Water) & Naser Afizi (Head of the Regional Water Basin Authority): Findings and recommendations of the Report of the Working Group for the Review of the Administrative Procedures Implemented for Hydropower Plants and Their Impact on Water and the Environment

The event will be in three languages: Albanian, Serbian, and English.