Thank you for joining World Water Week At Home!
After a week of intense discussions about solutions to the climate crisis and other water challenges, World Water Week At Home closed on Friday 28 August. With 120 sessions on a broad range of topics, the Week offered a valuable opportunity for people from across the world to learn from each other.
World Water Week At Home was initiated after the regular World Water Week 2020 had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. The organizers at SIWI saw a need for an alternative arena for important conversations about how to tackle climate change and other urgent issues. And the week turned out successful.
“I feel very inspired by all the great learnings from this week and our very first digital experience,” said Gabriela Suhoschi, Director World Water Week and Prizes at SIWI.
On Friday 28 August she hosted a Closing session together with SIWI’s Executive Director Torgny Holmgren. The two were joined by engineering student Michael Nyirenda who attended many sessions during the Week. He was also part of World Water Week 2015 when he was the Swedish finalist in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize contest.
“That was quite different. When you’re a finalist, it’s very much about getting to know people and getting inspired,” Michael Nyirenda commented. This year he spent more time following sessions, on a broad range of topics, and he felt he learned a lot. He liked that new element where a cartoonist created quick visual messages of key takeaways.
“I felt it was so much information in that session and I wondered how to get it into one picture but she managed to do that, which I found inspiring and very helpful to make me understand the session,” Michael Nyirenda said.
Discussions on communication and behavioural change were prominent in many sessions during the week, as predicted by Torgny Holmgren in the Opening on Monday. Climate change and resilience were also given their expected share of attention.
“I see a strong will and ability to change fast to address a new threat,” Gabriela Suhoschi commented, thanking all the participants for their active contributions.
Topics related to climate change, resilience and valuing water will also be at the heart of next year’s World Water Week – which will take place, in one form or another.
“In these uncertain times, we know very little about what the world will look like one year from now – but we do know that we need to address these important topics,” Torgny Holmgren said.
Which were the 7 top trends this World Water Week At Home? Check out SIWI’s conclusions!
