Water and Development Symposium

We understand and appreciate that changing the ways we share and care for our waters are not linear processes but complex ones, likely to have unforeseen impacts on the ground. At the Water and Development Symposium, we aim to provide our project partners with a safe space to open up and be vulnerable, sharing stories not only of success, but also of failures, uncertainties, and what we don’t yet know. These messy stories of our rapidly changing world offer opportunities to collectively reflect and learn from each other across regions and disciplines. 

While our programme promotes using a critical, inter- and transdisciplinary approach to address water-related challenges, we acknowledge that adopting this approach can be challenging. A critical approach requires us as water researchers, policy advisors, water practitioners and communities to confront the messiness of the water world and to report stories of the transformations we seek to bring with honesty and humility. An inclusive approach to water and development involves bringing perspectives of marginalised groups, who are the most vulnerable to impacts of water and environmental injustices, to the centre of our work.

This November, we invite you to go ‘beyond reporting impacts’ and share instead the diverse meanings of meaningful change in our collective efforts. The programme will include sessions such as Diversity for Impact, Technology for Impact, Advocacy for Impact, Sustainability of Impact, as well as a panel for Sharing 'Failures' to Learn for the Future.

 

We look forward to your participation!