Reaping the benefits of cooperation
Closing plenary - World Water Week 2023 What does it mean for SIWI to keep offering World Water Week as a safe, friendly, and inclusive space for water action? Karin Gardes shares her reflections on the success of World Water Week 2023 and looks ahead, as we strive to promote trust and cooperation across all boundaries.
A month after the closing of World Water Week 2023, I still have this lingering feeling of warmth and energy. And when trying to articulate that feeling and describe what I take with me from the event, I keep coming back to the word ‘interconnectivity’. This could, admittedly, be considered a bit of a buzz word. But it is not a buzz word without meaning. It captures, in my opinion, the beauty of World Water Week and is one of the fundamental keys to successfully tackling the greatest challenges of our time.
We know by now that water is crucial for reaching Agenda 2030 and most, if not all, of its SDGs, as well as other global commitments such as the Paris Agreement. But while we must keep reminding ourselves of what is at stake, simply saying it, will not change anything. The time for listing problems has passed; the time for transformation is now.
And for transformation to happen, joining hands is necessary
Not just with the person next to us, but with everyone. Improving how we manage our common water resources is a shared responsibility with shared benefits.
“While we must keep reminding ourselves of what is at stake, simply saying it, will not change anything. The time for listing problems has passed; the time for transformation is now.”
Proud as SIWI is of the water community, we must realize that one network of dedicated professionals is not enough
The water sector talking to the water sector is not enough. We must reach far beyond our existing connections, find new contact surfaces, new nodes. Fragmentation is the enemy of positive and constructive change, and so what we need is, indeed, interconnectivity. We need a supernetwork for water-based solutions to reap the benefits of cooperation and see the multiplier effect kick-in.
Facilitating interconnectivity is what World Water Week is all about and, as organizers, SIWI is proud to have seen the world come together stronger and with more diversity than ever before this year. Seeing 15,000 people from 193 countries and territories register for World Water Week 2023 tells me that together we do something right. Many were on site for in-person interaction, and many more took advantage of free online access. This makes World Water Week an accessible global platform for change – for everyone, wherever you are in the world.
There is no doubt that more steps need to be taken before we can speak of full inclusivity
While SIWI’s World Water Week has always welcomed experts from various backgrounds to share their knowledge and help create solutions, we must not ignore the fact that obstacles for true inclusivity still exist – institutional, political, and financial.
The special focus on Indigenous People’s knowledge and perspectives at this year’s World Water Week, highlighted the importance of reciprocity, respect, and relationships. I would like to see the water community build on that. We must keep opening new doors, making sure we include all age groups, actors from the Global South, underrepresented communities from all parts of the world, and individuals and groups with limited financial resources.
SIWI is committed to keep offering World Water Week as a safe, friendly, and inclusive space for water action
We see it as an honour and a great responsibility to host what is already one of the most influential, diverse, and inclusive water event, and we strive to promote trust and cooperation across all boundaries. We strive to bridge borders, as formulated in the theme for World Water Week 2024. Not just geographic borders, but those between sectors, communities and individuals too. Our mission and our offer with World Water Week are true long-term interconnectivity for the benefit of all.
