The 26th World Water Week kicks off in Stockholm

Water for sustainable growth tops agenda as world leaders, development professionals and water experts gather in Stockholm for the world’s leading annual event on water and development, – World Water Week.

The Opening will introduce the theme Water for Sustainable Growth. Speakers at the opening session on 29 August include the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Secretary-General of OECD, Delegate Minister of Energy, Mining, Water and Environment, Morocco, 2016 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate Professor Joan B. Rose, from Michigan State University, USA, and Cardinal Turkson, President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Vatican.

The Opening Plenary will be livestreamed. Got a question for the panel? Tweet us your question by using #WWWeek #Ask.

Two prizes will be awarded during World Water Week, to recognize excellence in the water world. On Tuesday 30 August, the Stockholm Junior Water Prize will be awarded by H.R.H. Prince Carl Philip of Sweden to one of 29 competing nations.

On Wednesday 31 August, the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize will be awarded to Professor Rose, for her tireless contributions to global public health; by assessing risks to human health in water and creating guidelines and tools for decision-makers and communities to improve global wellbeing. The prize will be awarded by patron of the prize, H.M. Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden.

Some 3,000 participants from more than 120 countries will participate at this year’s World Water Week – representing governments, the private sector, multilateral organizations, civil society and academia.