The Danube takes centre stage in EHL Call for Projects’24-Awarded Project

As part of the “Connecting Danube: Sharing European Heritage and Stories on the Wings of a Dove” of the EHL Call for Projects 2024, the Palace of the European Commission of the Danube held a successful public conference titled “Danube – River of Empires” on 26 June, close to Danube Day. The event featured renowned journalist, author, and geopolitical analyst Andrey Shary, based on his book of the same name.

Hosted at the “Paul Păltănea” History Museum of Galați, due to ongoing renovations at the EHL Site, the conference welcomed a diverse audience — particularly young people — for a captivating exploration of the Danube River’s role in the history of Europe’s great empires. The discussion delved into the geopolitical, historical, and cultural significance of the Danube as a unifying force and a shared European axis.

The event was free and open to the public, and included a virtual check-in with project partners at the Vučedol Culture Museum and Archaeological Site, celebrating its 10th anniversary.

Andrey Shary’s engaging presentation sparked lively questions from participants and reached wider audiences through interviews with the daily Viața liberă and a local television appearance. Valuable local partnerships and media collaboration further amplified the conference’s message, reaffirming the Danube’s central place in Europe’s shared heritage.