Due to the evolving situation of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the growing health concerns related to this virus, the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) has decided to organize its 5^th edition of the World Water Day 2021 workshop virtually.

Every year, the World Water Day draws the world’s attention to key water challenges. On March 23^rd, 2021, the World Water Day E-Conference on Valuing Water in the Mediterranean region is organized by the CMI in collaboration with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), the Youth for Water Network (MedYWat), and with the support of the UK government, the World Bank and CIHEAM Bari and will take place with the participation of youth who applied to the Water heroes contest 2021, MedYWat members, and Water professionals from the Mediterranean region.

This fifth edition builds on the first Four CMI Mediterranean Water Heroes Contests and World Water Day youth workshops: “Youth Innovating with Wastewater for a Sustainable Mediterranean”  (Marseille, France 2017), “Nature-Based Solutions for a Water Secure Mediterranean” (Anafora Community, Cairo, Egypt 2018)and “Water and Migration” (Marrakesh, Morocco 2019),  "Water and Climate Change" (e-conference, 2020) all aiming at raising the awareness of the future generation of water leaders on key water challenges the Mediterranean region is faced with.

The world water day workshops are designed to connect and build the capacities of young professionals, researchers, and students through the CMI-managed Mediterranean Youth for Water Network (MedYWat) which was launched in 2017.

The 2021 CMI World Water Day youth workshop aimed to stimulate inter-generational learning between young Mediterranean water practitioners and senior experts, notably through the CMI Water Heroes Contest and the organization of intergenerational policy dialogue as part of the CMI WWD event. the event also continued to further involve and support the CMI-managed Mediterranean Youth for Water Network (MedYWat) and enhance collaboration with key regional players on the theme of “Valuing Water”.

Resources

Agenda

Presentations 

“Valuing Water in the Arab region” by Ziyad Khayat, Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA)

"Valuing Water: Religious, social, cultural perspectives from Palestine" by Kholoud Al-Ajarma, member of MedYWat

Watch the recording of the event