Starting from year 2014 "BALTA DABA" (Latvia) and "OPE" (Portugal) are cooperating for rivers protection activities in Latvia and Portugal under project "RIVER reMEMBERS".

This project aims to involve young people on river protection activities, testing different methodologies in Latvian and Portuguese regions. "River reMembers" started to run in October 2014 and is expected to end in November 2015 and was stuctured locally in a sequence of steps, starting with research about dam problems on rivers, conduction of workshops about river protection, creation of youth involvement methodologies and organization of a final seminar about the topic and project results.

Until now, in OPE Portuguese project management and implementation, besides research activities, four workshops were already performed, on March, 21st; May, 23rd; July, 4th and August 24th.

The first workshop, was held indoor as an informal discussion, following some predefined steps: project presentation, lecture with an invited guest, member of other NGO and expert on dam impacts in Portugal – Bernardino Guimarães – that preceded and followed a video documentary "Páre, Escute e Olhe" that reflects a Portuguese scenarios of dams impacts and informal discussion.

The second workshop was held outdoor in a completely non-formal education structure. The overall activity included a bus group visit to Northern Region of Portugal – Gerês – a natural preserved area; a guided visit to Ethnographic Museum of Vilarinho das Furnas - a village that was submerged in 1972; a natural guided trail near the dam that submerged this village, with recognition of the surrounding environment and river Homem. The activity ended with an experimental analysis near the river – biological indicators, identification of species and infrastructures, physical and chemical analysis.

The third workshop was also held outdoor in a completely non-formal education structure. It was included in an environmental awareness campaign that Ecoclubes usually do in summer – it's 9th edition on 2015. This activity includes rafting down the River Douro in rafts built by each team, completely made of waste. The workshop consisted on a team's game during rafting in Douro river. Each group had a kit with different tasks to complete during a path along the river with different experimental activities in the river and around, related with biological indicators, identification of species and infrastructures, physical and chemical analysis and identification of waste disposal.

Last workshop had the chance to include French participants and consisted in an activity lasting one complete day, also in format of a challenge game. Day started with a guided visit to the city of Porto with recognition of the integration, during times, of water resources in this old city. After a shared lunch break, the group had the chance to cross the river banks on boat and proceed the chalenge now in Vila Nova de Gaia.

All the game was enriched with guided visits of different important places linked with river Douro mouth like the Interpretive Heritage Centre of Afurada – which reflects the totality of the environment and human activity within this territory, ensuring the recovery of the collective memory of this Community, strengthening its identifying values of the host community, allowing visitors to learn about the cultural traits that characterise their everyday occupations not only in their work, but also the sadness that marked the area throughout its history.

The activity ended on Douro Estuary Nature Reserve, where the identification and protection of birds and the landscape is the main objective. Before arriving this place, the teams had the chance to realize different tasks with different experimental activities in the river and around, related with biological indicators, identification of species and infrastructures, physical and chemical analysis, identification and collection of waste.

River reMembers also included transnational project meetings, and the first meeting was held in Portugal, between 12th-15th June. First day started with a team group discussion moment, that included presentation of the research and activites made until then and this intensive but productive day ended with a guided visit to the city of Porto with recognition of the integration during times of water resources in this old city. On Day 2, energy was flowing 100% speed. Even the rain didn´t stop Latvian and Portuguese teams to put hands of the work. Morning started with futures planning activities and was followed by a visit to River Leça, with different activities along the river. It was possible to observe changes during times along the river, monitoring river caracteristics and making cleaning activities... and third day was outstanding!! It began in a "this is a Portuguese bus" that followed the paths of Portugal, towards our Heart National Park - Gerês. In Campo do Gerês it was possible to know many of the natural elements and remember the village that once submerged in a dam. The team had the chance to visit the dam of Caniçada and it was possible to go down to 120 meters deep and under the dam heck, that returns water to its current 7.5 Km after its concrete structure. The return took us to sunset in the ocean and perspective of Porto from Gaia.

Project activities end with a last seminar that will happen in Portugal, in last October.

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.