Final Green Kayak project activities were implemented within the International Green Kayaking Regatta Days, starting on 21 September with the arrival of the partner club participants from Croatia, Serbia, and Bulgaria, until 26 September 2023.
The main events were taking place during the following weekend, 23-24 September. On 23 September, at 10 am, at “Mashka Plazha” in Struga, sports recreationists, ecologists, volunteers, and members of kayak and SUP clubs from Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bulgaria gathered together to take part in the project events.
The day started with the Eco-workshop, moderated by Ms.Emina Rustemoska, where the participants through educative games were introduced to the green principles of “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle”. The workshop was followed by the Green Regatta. All participants gathered waste along the coastline, beginning at Mashka Plazha in the direction of the Red Cross, in a length of one km. In less than an hour, the eco-volunteers collected 970 kg of waste. Symbolic prizes followed for the most successful teams.
Moreover, there was training “Kayaking for beginners” for all interested participants in the event, conducted by professional trainers from Serbia, Croatia, Bulgaria, and Macedonia.
On 24 September, An International Kayak Regatta competition was organized as the final project activity. Participants in the regatta were kayak clubs from Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Bulgaria: Kayak Canoe Club Drim from Struga, Macedonia, Club Bratstvo from Serbia, Water Land from Bulgaria and the Croatian Kayaking Federation. The best team ranking was achieved by the competitors from Croatia, the participants from Macedonia finished second, followed by Serbia in third place and Bulgaria in fourth position.
The project aims to increase awareness of the fight against the pollution of nature by practicing eco-water sports.