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Description
Despite the ecotourism potential of the Slobozia Island- Giurgiu-Gostinu- Lungi Island section located in the vicinity of the city, the 40 km long Danube’s shore is swamped by waste, and the urban dwellers face the lack of nature-based recreational areas. At the forefront of tackling plastic pollution local administrations must be real actors that manage waste. However, their authority and financial resources are limited and therefore they are unable to deliver a well-functioning integrated and sustainable waste management system. Due to the fact that the municipality’s administration area is confined to land, Giurgiu and the village of Gostinu Mayor’s Office are not entitled to get into the waters and manage the forests on the shore in order to eliminate litter, as they constitute the administration area of the National Administration “Romanian Waters”, Romsilva, and The National Agency for Protected Areas. By engaging community-based organisations, including groups of citizens active in the field of environmental protection, education and sustainable outdoor recreation in an advocacy campaign at the local & national level, this project aims at restoration of this section of the Danube shore converting the existing landfill into a sustainable recreational area. First, Terra Millennium III Foundation, will design a proposal of durable use of the area including a package of guidelines and recommendations to promote sustainable waste management and ecotourism to be further promoted on the local and national environmental authorities public agenda. At the same time, we will carry out an awareness-raising campaign in order to activate the urban and rural communities of Giurgiu city and the village of Gostinu by engaging the citizens in community and educational events such as thematic workshops and film screenings, and a volunteer camp, advocacy activities that will facilitate interaction between community groups and local authorities involved in waste collection.