A Greener Spring: Viadrina Takes Part in ERUA Cleanup Days 2026

Trash bags and gloves were provided, and no registration was needed. Participants spent the afternoon caring for the shared spaces around the campus, showing what a few hours of collective effort can achieve.

The Viadrina cleanup was coordinated on the ground by the university's local ERUA team, with local WP5 coordinator Sahra Damus and Birte Peters overseeing the day and guiding participants across the site.

The Cleanup took place on 5 June at 1:00 p.m. at Ziegenwerder and Kleistpark, Frankfurt (Oder).  

Part of a Europe-wide initiative

The Frankfurt (Oder) campaign was one of many that took place across the European Reform University Alliance (ERUA) this spring. Between World Earth Day on 20 April and World Environment Day on 5 June, all eight ERUA partner universities organised cleanup initiatives in their local communities, building on the success of last year's edition.

Across the six weeks between the two dates, the cleanups unfolded as a rolling timeline that moved from the Mediterranean and the Atlantic up through Central and Eastern Europe, ending on the Oder: 

• 25–26 April and 23–24 May, University of the Aegean (Greece): cleanup activities on the island of Lesvos with local scuba-diving and green volunteering student teams and the UAegean Green Committee
• 26 April, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain): a beach cleanup at the Salinas del Bufadero in Arucas, with educational activities on coastal preservation supported by the NGO SoyMamut
• 8 May, SWPS University (Poland): urban greening and planting at Arkadia Park in Warsaw, with a Vistula riverbank cleanup later in May
• 16 May, New Bulgarian University (Bulgaria): the traditional CleanUp Picnic in the Ovcha Kupel neighbourhood of Sofia, in partnership with the Sofia Municipality
• 20 May, Mykolas Romeris University (Lithuania): Bee Day celebrations in Vilnius, opening the Student Garden for its fifth season followed by a community cleanup walk
• 23 May, University of Macerata (Italy): an urban cleanup from Porta Romana in the city centre, followed by a workshop with local institutions
• 5 June, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) (Germany): the waste collection campaign on Ziegenwerder island and in Kleistpark, closing the season on World Environment Day itself

A shared commitment to sustainability

These events reflected ERUA's ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility and community engagement. By bringing together students, staff, local authorities, and civil society organisations, the alliance showed that positive change starts close to home, and that acting together across borders makes a real difference.

The Viadrina campaign supported the goals of sustainable urban development and environmental education. It was linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, in particular "Sustainable Cities and Communities" and "Climate Action".

We would like to thank everyone who joined us on Ziegenwerder island and in Kleistpark, and to our partners at the IMD Labor Oderland and the German Red Cross for making the day possible.

Mariam Umar Farooq,