Today, in the picturesque Prespa village of Ljubojno, located on the western slopes of Baba Mountain, we held an educational workshop with the youngest students from the Primary School “Dimitar Vlahov”.

The workshop unfolded in an atmosphere filled with curiosity and enthusiasm, where the children, through discussions, questions, and games, had the opportunity to learn more about rivers – their vital ecosystems and the essential role they play in maintaining balance in nature.

Through a brief lecture enriched with visual examples and interactive activities, the children learned how rivers provide water, food, and habitats for countless species, as well as how modern challenges like pollution, overuse, and climate change can disrupt this delicate balance.

The choice of topic was by no means accidental; it was inspired by the upcoming World Rivers Day this weekend. Additionally, the village of Ljubojno was intentionally chosen as the host of the workshop. The well-known Brajchinska River – the fourth longest river in the transboundary Prespa region, flows through its territory. Its cold, oxygen-rich waters are home to the endemic Prespa trout (Salmo peristericus), also known as the Pelister or Brajčinska trout.

The workshop was carried out within the project “Prespa Green & Blue Initiative: Empowering Conservation through Research, Education and Communication” funded by the European Union under the programme “EU for Prespa” and co-funded by the Prespa–Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT). Project implementation partners are the Macedonian Ecological Society, the Municipality of Resen, Galicica National Park, the Society for the Protection of Prespa (SPP) from the Republic of Greece, and the Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (PPNEA) from the Republic of Albania. The implementation of project activities is supported by the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning of the Republic of North Macedonia and Pelister National Park.