In the framework of the Young Water Professionals Programme were challenged young people worldwide the journey of a drop of water drinking to capture on film. In total there are 24 films submitted from Colombia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and America. The winners were announced during the social event on Wednesday 2 November in “ the Muziekgebouw aan het IJ ”. Rick Blockdijk, Miquel Ballester, Andries van Wijhe and Daniel Arenas receive the price of 1,000,-euro from the hands of Carolien Gehrels, Alderman in Amsterdam and Roelof Kruize, Director of Waternet. Click here to watch the winning film:

One of the components of the IWW was the Young Scientist Workshop, an intensive, five-day scientific event for approximately 35 PhD-students and international young professionals from the water industry and public organizations. The workshop focused on the challenges of water delivery and water systems in urban areas, a broad subject that different branches of the water sector touches, such as water management, water supply, sanitation and spatial planning. In addition to sharing ideas with other professionals worked the participants in a joint vision of the challenges and solutions to urban problems. Look here for a video report.

The Award was presented during the International Water Week in Amsterdam in the framework of the Wetskills Innovation Challenge, part of the Young Water Professionals Programme. Five teams of students with different nationalities and different water-related courses have been working on creative solutions for water issues around the theme ‘ urban water management of the future ‘, concretely to the urban Watergraafsmeer polder. The presentation of their solutions was the capstone of the Wetskills Innovation Challenge. Each team has presented its results in a pitch of 2 minutes. Could then the attendees view the posters and assess during a poster market.

On Monday the 31st of October Sarah Dickin (26) from Canada was selected to be the new Young Water Professional Ambassador for the IWW 2013. Dickin is chosen among three finalists, selected from a group of 15 notifications. The other nominees were Stephen Byakika-Nyende from Uganda, living in South Africa, and Josanne Derks from the Netherlands. They will support Sarah in her role as Ambassador and will help her to strength the YWP-network.

The International Water Week, which took place from 31 October – 4 November in Amsterdam, was a great success, with more than 17% more visitors than the last edition. It was a busy week with many visitors and events, but also a week with much inspiration and energy. Below you will find a short report of all activities that took place.

There was a large number of distinguished speakers during the week. So were the IWW and the Delta Congress was opened by Secretary Atsma and also premier Rutte attended the Delta Congress. Aboutaleb Mayor of Rotterdam provided an inspiring key note speech and Mayor Van der Laan from Amsterdam was lecturer at the social event, where his Royal Highness had a video message for the participants of the week. In addition, there was a large number of international speakers present.