World Water Day Youth Workshop: Nature-based Solutions for a Water Secure Mediterranean

Every year, World Water Day draws the world’s attention to key water challenges. World Water Day 2018 focuses on “Nature for Water” to raise awareness on Nature-based Solutions for Water (NbS) in the Mediterranean. NbS are defined as “… actions to protect, sustainably manage and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges effectively and adaptively, while simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits.” (IUCN, 2016).

 Mediterranean youth has a key role in working towards regional water security and better water awareness. Indeed, young people are innovating with water in the entire region, and their actions and ideas should be recognized, shared and replicated to create a more secure regional water future and further mobilize other youth, especially in the Maghreb and the Mashreq. Water innovation also constitutes a valuable economic opportunity for youth, with the potential to create numerous green jobs that can further contribute to regional resilience.

The Workshop

 Following the success of the first CMI Mediterranean Water Heroes Contest and the subsequent World Water Day youth workshop (“Youth Innovating with Wastewater for a Sustainable Mediterranean”, (Marseille, March 21-22 2017) and the resulting launch of the MedYWat network, the Center for Mediterranean Integration, the Swedish Institute Alexandria and the World Bank are pleased to announce the upcoming “Young Mediterranean Water Heroes: Nature-based Solutions for a Water Secure Mediterranean” World Water Dayyouth workshop.

 The second of CMI’s World Water Day youth events, this workshop will take place from 11-15 March in Alexandria, Egypt, with the support of the Global Water Partnership Mediterranean, Switch-Med, CIHEAM, the Mediterranean Youth for Water (MedyWat) network, Revolve Water and UN Water.

 It will further connect and inspire young Mediterranean water experts to make a difference in the region’s water reality by gathering 40 Mediterranean young Mediterranean water activists selected through the second CMI Mediterranean Water Heroes contest and experts. The workshop is designed to encourage active engagement, peer learning, collaborative thinking and co-creation on the part of all participants. 

  Objectives

 To strengthen awareness on water scarcity as a common regional public bad in the Mediterranean

• To build capacity among young Mediterranean water experts and stimulate youth entrepreneurship and activism, as well as civil society-based actions
• To connect young water practitioners and amplify the voice of youth in the Mediterranean water agenda
• To share and promote innovative NbS for water involving youth that can be shared and reproduced in the region
• To expand and enrich the MedYWat network