Prague, July 12 (CTK) – Big Jump, a joint symbolic jump into the Vltava River, was staged by the NGO Coalition for Rivers near the Palacky Bridge yesterday in order to highlight the need to protect rivers and return life to them.
Seven people jumped into the Vltava River within the event held under the auspices of Czech silver medalist from the 2012 London Olympics, slalom canoeist Vavrinec Hradilek.
“The event was staged in order to stress that rivers must be treated differently than now,” activist Zora Kasikova said.
“Rivers should not be reduced to transport channels or concrete drains, she added.
People could also see an exhibition on rivers and floods.
There was a three-dimensional model at which a simulated flood could be tried.
The idea of River Bathing Day comes from Roberto Epple from the European Rivers Network (ERN).
By joint bathing in many places, Epple wanted to celebrate the successes achieved by river conservationists in Europe in the sphere of improvement in the purity of rivers and protection of their natural character.
