The International Water Association’s World Water Congress & Exhibition is underway in Copenhagen, Denmark, from Sept.1 through Sept. 15.
The event brings together many thousands of influential participants to share insights, network, and do business. The association says that this latest edition of the global event represents its largest and most comprehensive to date.
The IWA Congress & Exhibition takes place every few years in different countries around the world. They provide an opportunity to focus on topical issues and new trends, and they reflect the strengths of the host location. The 2022 edition is framed around the theme of ‘Water for Smart Liveable Cities’. It is featuring inspirational stories from Denmark and from the wider Nordic region, as well as from around the world.
Features of the coming week include a High-Level Summit, forums on utility management, groundwater, and industrial water, and the launch of further programs and initiatives, all alongside a comprehensive offering of technical papers, workshops, poster presentations, business forums, and exhibits.
The High-Level Summit adds a political dimension to water management that covers three topics: finance, governance, and partnerships. This year’s summit included contributions from India, Denmark, South Africa, and several cities.
“What particularly characterises this edition of the Congress is the close-knit collaboration between the Nordic countries, an innovative region that is a true advocate of sustainable living,” says Anders Bækgaard (DANVA), Congress President. “Additionally, it is a great pleasure for me to announce that, in the 2022 Congress, special attention has been placed on young water professionals and students.”
During the Congress, IWA also reveals the winners of its awards program. The outstanding winners announced during the opening ceremony were:
- Global Water Award: Nisha Mandani, Our Aim Foundation, USA
- Gender Diversity and Water Award: Annabell Waititu, Big Five Africa, Kenya
- Young Leadership Award: Céline Vaneeckhaute, Université Laval, Canada
- Water & Development Award for Research: Professor Damir Brdjanovic, IHE Delft Institute for Water Education, the Netherlands
- Water & Development Award for Practice: Africa Sand Dam Foundation, Kenya
The opening ceremony also included the announcement of an endowment fund for young water leaders and funding for young water professionals to participate in next year’s meeting review of progress on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
