Italy Celebrates The European River Swimming Day With a “Big Jump”

Look for your swimsuit!

Sunday 6th of July Italy will participate for the third time to the “Big Jump“, a campaign by European Rivers Network (ERN) to inspire a reconciliation of people with their rivers.

The Italian NGO “Legambiente” has organized many events to celebrate this national meeting on the Po River, the country’s longest river (405 miles long). The Po’s waters flow through the Val Padana, the plain that stretches across northern Italy from the French border on the west to the Adriatic Sea on the east. Many Italians live in this fertile expanse, some of the most heavily cultivated land in Europe: here is located the city of Turin, headquarters of Fiat, the automotive conglomerate, and some of the country’s most beautiful and historic towns.

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Once upon a time the citizens of Turin were used to bath in the Po River. It was only 50 years ago but many things have changed. Nearly 25% of the land along its banks has been denuded of natural vegetation to make way for sterile plantations of poplars harvested for cellulose; the river is dammed for hydroelectric power and tainted by agricultural and industrial chemicals.

Fortunately, huge efforts have been made since the 90ies for the cleaning and the restoration of Italian rivers. Responsible citizens have understood: to respect, to restore, to give back its original space to the river and improve the water’s quality everywhere. This growing awareness is expressed through the revival of the activities on and along the rivers: cycle tracks, discovery canoe tours, sporty fishing…

“Big Jump” aims a people’s return to the rivers in order to support the European restoration effort for rivers and wetlands, a huge project expressed in the European Water Framework Directive.

July the 6th Italian citizens will swim or jump in the Po River to remind that:

-Rivers, once used only for navigation, serve today as rubbish dumps and are polluted
-The numerous beaches and swimming spots disappeared
-People turned their back to the rivers and forgot their responsibility

“Big Jump” wants to induce people to respect their rivers and lakes. Everybody will swim in the rivers the same day, at the same hour, in all the European rivers: an inspiring project to get citizens involved in the territory they live.

Other Sources: National Geographic

Image courtesy of Zeta at Flickr under Creative Commons

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