Trans-boundary “LIFE for MIRES”-festival celebrates 30th jubilee of the opening of the Iron Curtain

Despite the rain showers, the atmosphere was excellent: Happy people, world music, homemade cake, a mobile playground for children, excursions in the surrounding and a well-attended information stand on the European Green Belt and the project LIFE for MIRES. The trans-boundary summer festival on 30 years breakdown of the Iron Curtain took place on 7 July 2019 directly at the hikers’ border crossing Haidmühle-Nové Údolí (Germany-Czech Republic).

During the festival people took up the opportunity to join thematic excursions © BUND Department Green Belt

Miloš Picek, president of the council of national park Šumava and Helga Weinberger, deputy county commissioner of Freyung-Grafenau, underlined the importance of trans-boundary cooperation against the background of global problems like climate change and biodiversity loss. Margot Fenzl, mayor of Haidmühle, gave an emotional insight in her experiences when the Iron Curtain was opened the first time. Having experienced the times during the Cold War, Karl Haberzettl, board member of BUND Bavaria, emphasized the power of the Green Belt in bringing people together and as memorial landscape. Sabina Navrátilová from the coordinating beneficiary national park Šumava explained content and aims of the trans-boundary project “LIFE for MIRES”, in which they work together with BUND Bavaria/Dept. Green Belt, national park Bavarian Forest and the University of České Budějovice in conservation of mires and wetlands along the Green Belt. Melanie Kreutz from BUND Department Green Belt gave an overview on the European Green Belt initiative and ongoing trans-boundary activities.

The project LIFE for MIRES (8/2018-12/2024) is funded by the EU program "Life+ Nature and Biodiversity" and co-financed by the Czech Ministry of the Environment and the Bavarian Nature Conservation Fund.

More information about the project.