- The national edition of the “Nature Between Waters” Olympiad, an educational project carried out by Veolia Romania with the support of EducațiePrivată.ro, brought together more than 6,400 students in grades 2–7 this year.
- The competition brought biodiversity closer to students across the country, offering them an interactive learning framework and confirming the growing interest of younger generations in protecting nature.
- The students’ performance was rewarded with prizes worth a total of over EUR 20,000, consisting of vouchers awarded for each grade level.
Bucharest, 13 June 2026 – More than 6,400 students in grades 2–7 took part in the first nationwide edition of the extracurricular biodiversity competition, the “Nature Between Waters” Olympiad, an educational project initiated by Veolia Romania with the support of EducațiePrivată.ro. Through the scale of participation, the competition has become one of the most significant educational initiatives dedicated to biodiversity and ecosystems protection in Romania, demonstrating children’s growing interest in understanding the relationship between nature, water and quality of life.
At a time when biodiversity loss is recognized globally as one of the greatest environmental challenges of the century, education plays an essential role in shaping a generation able to understand and responsibly manage natural resources. The “Nature Between Waters” Olympiad offered students across the country the opportunity to test their knowledge of ecosystems, species, water resources and environmental protection, in an accessible and interactive format.
The participation of 6,407 students in this year’s edition is more than double the total number of participants registered in the competition’s first three editions, previously held in Bucharest and Ilfov. This result confirms the growing interest of students, teachers and parents in extracurricular educational programs that complement the school learning process and help build a culture of responsibility towards nature.
“The fact that more than 6,400 students chose to take part in a competition about biodiversity is perhaps the most important outcome of this edition. It means that we are already seeing a generation that understands that protecting nature is not only the responsibility of specialists or authorities, but a concern that begins in school and is built through education. If we want more resilient communities and protected natural resources, we must invest today in knowledge and in shaping these future decision-makers. Through ‘Nature Between Waters’, we set out to bring biodiversity closer to children and to offer them a relevant context for understanding the impact that healthy ecosystems have on our daily lives. The results of this first national edition confirm that such initiatives are necessary and encourage us to continue investing in education and in biodiversity protection,” said Mădălin Mihailovici, CEO of Veolia Romania.
The competition took place online, on 23 May for primary school students and on 24 May for lower secondary school students. The tests were developed biology and ecology specialists, while the assessment was carried out by independent teachers to ensure the objectivity and relevance of the results. The winners were awarded during a ceremony held on June 13, 2026.
The students’ performance was rewarded with prizes worth more than EUR 20,000. For each grade level, from grade 2 to grade 7, the students ranked in the top three places received vouchers worth RON 5,000, RON 4,000 and RON 2,500, respectively. In addition, five honourable mentions were awarded for each grade level, each worth RON 500.
The project also recognized teachers’ voluntary contribution to promoting environmental education. The teachers whose students won first place at each grade level were awarded vouchers worth RON 2,500. The same reward was granted to the coordinating teachers with the highest number of registered students, both for primary and lower secondary school.
Organized with the support of EducațiePrivată.ro, the national edition of the “Nature Between Waters” Olympiad strengthens the project’s role as an educational platform that contributes to developing knowledge about nature, understanding the importance of biodiversity and shaping responsible behaviours towards the environment. At the same time, the competition demonstrates that sustainability education can become a powerful tool for engaging and mobilizing younger generations around issues that are essential for the future.
ABOUT VEOLIA
Veolia, a global leader in environmental services, works every day to build ecological security for the benefit of public health and the competitiveness of industries and regions. With 215,000 employees across five continents, working closely with local communities, and thanks to its cutting-edge technologies, the group cleans up pollution, reduces carbon emissions, and regenerates resources through concrete solutions that combine its expertise in water and water technologies, waste - including hazardous waste management, and local energy. In 2025, the Veolia group served 110 million people with drinking water and 97 million with sanitation, produced 45 million megawatt hours of energy, and treated 64 million tons of waste. Veolia Environnement (Paris Euronext: VIE, Fortune 500, SBF 120) generated consolidated revenue of €44.4 billion in 2025.
In Romania, Veolia provides water and energy management solutions. With 3,600 employees, the company operates strategically at the local level to deliver essential services to the highest quality standards and to support the development of smart cities, serving over 2.1 million customers. Over more than 25 years of activity, Veolia Romania has generated a direct economic impact of over €2.31 billion.
ABOUT EducațiePrivată.ro
EducatiePrivata.ro is the first online platform dedicated to education. Here, you will find all relevant information about both private and public education, presented through high-quality editorial content developed by professionals. The platform serves as a driver of progressive ideas, grounded in values such as dialogue, modernity, dynamism, flexibility, and balance. We believe that changing attitudes is the only way to transform mindsets; therefore, our platform also acts as a vehicle for best practices, essential for the profound transformation of schools in Romania.