This article is part of a wider coverage of the “MENA Focus” events, a set of four regional sessions dedicated to the Middle East & North Africa, officially launched at the Stockholm World Water Week 2016, alongside the Regional Days for Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) had been selected and serves as the overall coordinator for these “MENA Focus” events. The sessions were organized in partnership with a number of international regional institutions and organisations. “Seeking answers to the MENA water crisis” was the first out of the four sessions, held on the 30th of August.
This year’s Stockholm World Water Week successfully launched the inclusion of a set of events dedicated to the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Region in the Week’s official programme, alongside the Regional Days for Africa, Asia and Latin America. The Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) had been selected and serves as the overall coordinator for these “MENA Focus” events. The Sessions were organized in partnership with a number of international regional institutions and organisations.
Building up from previous awareness raising activities organized in the framework of the youth initiative run by the Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med) in Tunisia aimed at making the youth’s voice heard in water resources management and climate change adaptation, and putting more emphasis on the potential of interactive games for awareness raising among youth audiences, a two-day training was organized on Aqua Republica Serious Game by the NGO “Recherche en Action” (REACT), in collaboration with the NGO “Tunisian Education and Resource Network” (TEARN).
GWP Vice Chair and member of the Steering Committee, Drs. Alice Bouman-Dentener participated in the High-Level Symposium on SDG 6 and Targets in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on 9-11 August.
Final preparations are underway for Stockholm World Water Week 2016, which this year takes place 28 August – 2 September. Similar to previous years, GWP has a prominent role at the event, with representatives involved in a number of sessions. Here are some highlights.
GWP has supported the consultation process of francophone youth from 21 countries in the creation of a White Paper, which expresses the role of youth in the management of water in the context of climate change. The paper was presented at COP21 in Paris last year. GWP Central America and partners have now launched a contest for youth based on the recommendations of the White Paper.
Danka Thalmeinerova is Senior Knowledge Management Officer at the GWP global secretariat in Stockholm. She joined the global secretariat in 2008 but has a long history with GWP before that – both at regional and country level. In the on-going interview series to mark GWP’s 20th Anniversary, Thalmeinerova speaks about her job: “I did not envisage how inspiring but challenging this would be.”
The Tanzania Water Partnership (TWP) has formalised its working relationship with the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Water and Irrigation. The signing of the MoU took place at the Ministry of Water and Irrigation Headquarters in Dar es Salaam on Monday 15 August 2016.
The Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is the global platform to share and co-create innovative water solutions. The biennial event gathers stakeholders from the global water industry to share best practices, showcase the latest technologies and tap business opportunities. SIWW is part of the strategic programme of the Singapore Government to grow the water industry and develop water technologies.
These events was organized by Singapore International Water Week Pte Ltd, a company set up by Singapore's Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources and PUB, Singapore’s national water agency. The 7th Singapore International Water Week held in conjunction with the 5th World Cities Summit and the 3rd CleanEnviro Summit Singapore, from 10 – 14 July 2016 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.