Participants of the joint lecture session organised by the Regional Organisation of the Hungarian Hydrological Society of Győr and the Water Management Committee of the Veszprém Regional Committee of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences had the opportunity to hear presentations on the importance of glacier conservation and the traditions of gold panning in the Danube. As part of the World Water Day celebrations, poetry and drawing competition prizes were also awarded at the event hosted by Széchenyi István University.

The event, titled “The Treasures of Glaciers in the Carpathian Basin: The Golden Man on the Danube – The Gold Panner of Gönyű”, was opened by József Németh, Director of the North Transdanubian Water Directorate and President of the Regional Organisation of the Hungarian Hydrological Society of Győr. He introduced the motto for 2025: “Preserve the Glaciers”, emphasising their key role in maintaining water resources and drawing attention to the impacts of climate change.

In his opening remarks, József Németh elaborated on the role of glaciers in the water balance of the Carpathian Basin, highlighting the effects of the melting of the Pitztal and Pasterze glaciers. He warned that this could lead to significant long-term water shortages in regions dependent on glacier-fed water sources.

József Németh, Director of the North Transdanubian Water Directorate and President of the Regional Organisation of the Hungarian Hydrological Society of Győr, highlighted the significance of glaciers in his opening lecture. (Photo: Gergely Nagy)

The main presentation of the day, titled “The Golden Man on the Danube”, was delivered by János Szabó, a former Danube sailor and gold panner. He passionately shared his decades-long experience in gold panning, a practice that requires not only physical endurance but also immense patience. He explained that gold is carried by the Danube’s riverbed along with gravel and sand, typically settling in river bends and calmer waters.

János Szabó, who crafted his own gold panning equipment, demonstrated its operation to the audience. He described the meticulous process of gold panning, which involves first shovelling large quantities of gravel through a filter, followed by the delicate extraction of fine gold particles from the sediment.

The audience learned that the conditions for gold panning have significantly changed over the past decades. The construction of sluices and river regulations on the Danube has reduced sediment flow, meaning that less gold reaches the Hungarian section of the river. While gold panning is no longer a viable livelihood, for János Szabó, it remains more than just a hobby—it is a way of life, offering a connection with nature, a sense of challenge, and the feeling of freedom.

János Szabó introduced the audience to the secrets of gold panning. (Photo: Gergely Nagy)

The event also featured the award ceremony for the World Water Day poetry and drawing competitions, where the creative works of primary school students were recognised. The poetry competition was won by Bence Kollár, a student at the Arany János Bilingual Primary School in Győr. In the drawing competition, special recognition was awarded to Kincső Magyar, while third place went to Luca Bősze, second place to Zora Körmendi, and first place to Léna Galcsik. A special category was also included in the competition, designed for students of the Montágh Imre School and Special Vocational School. In this category, special recognition was awarded to Mira Kovács, third place to Roland Nagy, second place to Nóra Fanni Kukucska, and first place to Éva Laura Szabó.