DALIA – Danube Region Water Lighthouse Action is a four-year, EU-funded project dedicated to addressing critical environmental challenges facing the Danube River Basin.
Funded through the Horizon Europe programme with a total budget of €8.5 million, DALIA brings together 22 expert organisations – including universities, research institutes, public authorities, SMEs, and NGOs – from 8 EU and Associated Danube countries (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Germany, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria and Ireland). The project is designed to deliver tangible solutions for sustainable water and ecosystem management from the Black Forest to the Black Sea.
The Danube River Basin is currently under pressure from organic and nutrient pollution, hazardous substances, and hydromorphological alterations. These threats compromise freshwater biodiversity, increase the risk of floods, and endanger the ecological balance of the region. The DALIA project responds to this complex set of challenges by promoting systemic, science-based, and inclusive approaches to river restoration and ecological improvement. At its core, the project is guided by the belief that proper freshwater management is fundamental not only for biodiversity but also for climate resilience, local livelihoods, and long-term sustainability.
DALIA’s primary goal is to foster a resilient, ecologically balanced, and inclusive water governance model that ensures optimal ecological flows, reconnects fragmented river landscapes, and enhances the protection of freshwater ecosystems. Through an integrated and participatory methodology, DALIA aims to protect local communities from pollution and extreme weather events while strengthening the connectivity of ecosystems along the entire Danube River corridor.
Activities will be implemented across nine main pilot sites and ten additional locations, selected to represent a diversity of ecological and socio-economic contexts. In Serbia, the focus is on Begečka Jama Nature Park, a vital active floodplain located 18 km west of Novi Sad. This area serves as a critical site for flood mitigation and biodiversity preservation.
The Institute for Development and Innovation is contributing its expertise in interactive socio-economic methodologies to ensure robust community engagement and effective stakeholder management.
As part of DALIA’s multi-actor approach, the Institute will contribute to the development and implementation of participatory frameworks such as living labs, designed to involve local stakeholders in co-creating solutions for water and ecosystem management.
Beyond these engagement activities, the Institute will also be involved in exploring sustainable business opportunities, conducting sustainability impact assessments, and carrying out communication and dissemination efforts across the region.
Under the Institute’s program for Green and Digital Transformation, the DALIA project is strategically interconnected with other ongoing initiatives such as ClimaPannonia, RURALITIES, and RES2FIRE. These projects collectively address some of the most pressing challenges of our time – including climate change, biodiversity loss, and increasing risks from natural disasters.
By implementing integrated, green, and climate-resilient solutions, the Institute for Development and Innovation advances its broader mission to design and apply climate-smart, socio-economic strategies that empower communities to anticipate, adapt to, and effectively manage environmental and societal challenges.
