Presentation

Session consists of three activities:

• an exhibition titled 'Valuing Ancient Water Cultures' (Vernissage: 7 December at 4pm, in conjunction with the official coffee break of the Summit). Eight case studies from all over the world illustrate how traditional knowledge, techniques, and social management of groundwater represent an inspiring source of
  innovations for future resilience planning.
• a side-event (6 December from 12 to 1pm – Venue: Room XI) involving experts from different disciplines that will discuss the case studies from Asia, Africa, Europe, and Latin America that are illustrated by the exhibition to highlight how they contribute to the UN's SDGs
• a visit to the Sewage Museum, Musée des Egouts de Paris (on December 6) will showcase the historical management of groundwater in the city of Paris and ongoing activities on water sustainability education.

Meeting point at the Info Desk of the Summit at 5pm and departure on foot from UNESCO at 5,15. End of the visit: 7pm. (Online pre-registrations through the WHOVA platform are mandatory. If you are interested, please click on "Add to my agenda". All pre-registrations are to be confirmed by signing in presence at the Info Desk until the total number of participants is reached. Maximum number of participants: 45. Languages: English and French).

The three planned activities aim at providing answers to the following questions: how can ancient groundwater management and practices inspire institutions and policy makers to address the current sustainability challenges?
What lessons do ancestral hydro-technologies offer for future resilience planning? What is the role of water museums and education programs for more forward-looking water uses supporting the SDGs?

Objectives

• Stress the relevance of ancient groundwater management practices and farsighted visions to foster new ideas for innovation and future resilience planning
• Highlight the role that water museums and visitors' centers play to make 'the invisible visible' and raise greater awareness about groundwater vulnerability

Key message

Learning from our watery past and involving people and communities in managing and monitoring groundwater quality and quantity are the prerequisites for enlightened water use that supports the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.

Speakers

• Eddy Moors, Rector of IHE Delft and President of the Global Network of Water Museums
• Jordi Morató, UNESCO Chair on 'Sustainability', Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Barcelona
• Elisabeth Lictevout, Director of IGRAC, International Groundwater Resources Assessment CentreDirector of IGRAC, International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre
• David Gentilcore, Full Professor of Early Modern History, Ca' Foscari University of Venice
• Sara Ahmed, Founder-Director, Living Waters Museum, India
• Farah Hamamouche, Freelance researcher in the field of agricultural research and development, Research Office for Agricultural Development (BRDA), Paris, France; G-Eau Research Unit, University of Montpellier, CIRAD, Montpellier, France
• SAIDANI Amine, Phd student, Institut Agro Montpellier
• Monica Cardillo, Maître de conférences, Université de Limoges, Académie de l'eau
• Martijn van Staveren, Coordinator, National IHP-HWRP committee p/a IHE Delft

Moderator : Eriberto Eulisse, Director, WAMU-NET

Registration : https://groundwater-summit.org/about-gws-registration/