Date: 13 to 15 December 2013
Place: Torrero Civic Center. 3 Monzón Street, Zaragoza, Spain
Organizers: Alianza por la Solidaridad
Alianza por la Solidaridad organized the 2013 Meeting of Activists for the Right to Water. The meeting provided an opportunity to get familiar with the context, policies and the work being done on this subject both in Spain and at international level. It also provided a platform to jointly identify and define different forms of activists’ participation in the promotion and defense of the Right to Water. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this event with the key note speech on Saturday 14 December at 10:30 am.
>> More information
Date: 13 December 2013
Place: Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain
This event provided a forum for debate on global water-related challenges in the areas of peace, security, development and human rights, and will help identify responses or courses of action to address these challenges. The seminar was organized around two panels; the first panel was devoted to the issue "Water as a factor of peace and stability" and the second panel focused on "Water as a human right and a development factor". Both panels included government representatives, representatives from international organizations involved in water management (particularly UN members) and the civil society. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW- DPAC, participated in the seminar.
Date: 10 December 2013
Place: Casa Encendida Ronda de Valencia 2, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Human Rights Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain
On the occasion of the 65th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Human Rights Office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain celebrated a special event which included the screening of the film “La soif du monde” (World’s thirst) from Yann-Arthus Bertrand. The film was followed by a debate where Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated.
Date: 5-6 December 2013
Place: Mexico City, Mexico
Organizers: UNESCO on behalf of UN-Water
The Closing Ceremony of the 2013 International Year of Water Cooperation provided an overview of the major achievements of the Year and setted signals for its follow-up, particularly in the context of the post-2015 development agenda. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the ceremony with a presentation summarizing main messages from the 2013 Zaragoza Conference on Water Cooperation in a plenary session dedicated to milestones of the International Year. She also facilitated a plenary session of governments and academia on achievements and impact of the International Year, and a working group session aimed at discussing the follow-up of the International Year and how to incorporate conclusions in the Post 2015 agenda. Information materials on water cooperation produced by UNW-DPAC and on the forthcoming UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference were also be distributed.
Date: 26-28 November 2013
Place: Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
Organizers: Capacity Development Center of the Spanish Agency for Cooperation and Development (AECID)
This meeting, organized in the framework of the 25th anniversary of AECID highlighted the work carried out and helped shaping the future of Spanish cooperation in the water and sanitation sector by leveraging synergies among all actors involved and extracting lessons learned from the consolidated work in Latin America. During three days, various roundtables addressed relevant issues in this sector and provided different areas for discussion and for sharing experiences. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this conference on 26 November at session 2 with the theme "The process of consultation and participation mechanisms" and as a moderator of Session 5 “Networking and sharing experiences” on 27 November 2013.
>> Virtual exhibit on the 25th anniversary of the Spanish cooperation
Date: 20-21 November 2013
Place: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. 26 Serrano Galvache Street. Madrid, Spain
Organizers: ONGAWA
ONGAWA organized this seminar around two sessions:
Date: 19 November 2013
Time: 13:00
Place: North Lawn Building, United Nations Headquarters, New York, USA
On the occasion of World Toilet Day, the Permanent Mission of Spain to the United Nations an UNW-DPAC, together with the World Council of Civil Engineers and Aquae Foundation, launched the monograph “Water Cooperation”, which summarizes United Nations contributions and key experiences on water cooperation.
>> Video recording of the event
>> Access the monograph “Water cooperation”
Date: 13 November 2013
Place: Carrera de San Jerónimo No. 36, Madrid, Spain
Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC met with the President of the Spanish Parliamentary Commission on Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Mr. Jose Ignacio Llorens Torres. They agreed that the United Nations Office to support the International Decade for Action ‘Water for Life’ 2005-2015/UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication (UNW-DPAC) will make a presentation of its activities to the Commission in February 2014 and that the president of the Commission will attend the opening of the UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference in January 2014.
Date: 12 November 2013
Place: AECID headquarters. Avda. Reyes Católicos nº 4, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Alianza por el Agua
Alianza por el Agua organized the 2nd meeting of its Permanent Commission to discuss main lines of action of the Alliance’s strategic plan. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the meeting as member of the Commission. Synergies in relation to the Office’s knowledge platform project in Latin America and the Caribbean were also discussed with Spanish Cooperation officers.
Date: 7-8 November 2013
Place: OECD Headquarters, Paris, France
Organizers: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD Initiative on Water Governance is a network of OECD and non-OECD public, private and not-for profit actors gathering twice a year in a Policy Forum to support better governance in the water sector through experience sharing, analytical work and peer-to-peer dialogue. With a view to contributing to the 7th World Water Forum (Korea, April 2015), the Initiative will carry out its activities through 4 Thematic Working Groups on stakeholder engagement, performance of water supply and sanitation services, basin governance, integrity and transparency, in close collaboration with regional partners in different continents. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this 2nd meeting, thematic working group on ‘Performance and Governance of Water Services’.
Date: 2 -10 November 2013
Organizers: "Quart és Ciència" Association
The "Quart és Ciència" Association, which promotes the popularisation of science and technology amongst the citizens of the municipality of Quart de Poblet, Valencia, Spain, its 2nd Science Week. Among the activities scheduled, and in the framework of the International Year of Cooperation, Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated as a speaker in the workshop and be debating "Water: an engine for development" on Tuesday 5 November 2013 at 19:00.
>> Science Week programme
>> Video summary of day 2
Date: 30-31 October 2013
Place: Instituto de Radio Televisión Española, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: RTVE Institute and Indagando TV
This training seminar was aimed at all those TV, radio and press journalists who wished to broaden their education to report on emergencies and disasters. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in a panel discussion open to the public: "What is disaster response? Different models", on 30 October 2013.
Date: 28 October 2013
Time: 09:00 am
Place: Fundación Conama, C/Monte Esquinza nº28, 3º dcha., Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Fundación Conama
The CONAMA Foundation organized this breakfast meeting, more than one year in advance, to start preparing the next National Congress for the Environment (Conama 2014). The aim was to identify relevant issues from the sustainable development professional field and to gather experts from across all sectors and levels. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting.
>>More information
Date: 16-18 October 2013
Place: Granada, Spain
Organizers: Spanish Association of Hydrogeologists
The Spanish Association of Hydrogeologists organized the 10th Symposium on Hydrogeology. The Symposium offered a forum to identify and discuss issues of concern to the expert's future. To that end, a series of presentations and panel discussions were organized to provide to the participants the newest trends involving water and groundwater issues. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the roundtable: "Water issues in international cooperation and development" on 17 October.
Date: 9-11 October 2013
Place: New York, USA
Organizers: UN Division for Sustainable Development, UNDESA
The overall goal of this workshop was to enhance the capacity of key stakeholders, including government officials and civil society, to effectively integrate sustainable development into national development planning and implementation. Towards this end, the workshop assessed progress made, identified existing obstacles and challenges, exchanged experiences and shared good practices amongst participants on ways for overcoming these. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this workshop on 10 October during the session: "Sustainable Development Policy and Practice: Reporting on Cross-Sectoral Goals and Targets".
Date: 27 September 2013
Place: Kurumba Maldives, The Maldives
Organizers: United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO)
As part of World Tourism Day celebrations (WTD), the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) held the WTD Think Tank "Tourism and Water". The official celebrations took place in the Maldives. This year's theme highlights tourism's role in water access and shines a spotlight on the actions currently being taken by the sector in order to contribute to a more sustainable water future, as well as the challenges ahead. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the Think Tank on 27 September.
>>WTD Think Tank "Tourism and Water"
UNW-DPAC, on behalf of UN-Water, organized a seminar on "Triggering Action on Water through the Post-2015 Agenda" at World Water Week in Stockholm on Sunday 1 September 2013.
Participants in this seminar presented and discussed the most recent proposals for a Water Sustainable Development Goal. A key question is if these will trigger action in the same way as the Millennium Development Goal target on water has done. Does this have the same level of clarity and will help provide the same focus for action? What would be the necessary means and accompanying measures by the international community, the governments and the different stakeholders? These are some of the questions this Stakeholder dialogue with representatives of farmers, women, youth, international cooperation, business and the scientific community tried to respond.
>> Conclusions and report from session
>> Video recording of seminar
>> Presentations (Click on the 'Resources' bar)
Date: 16 September 2013
Time: 9:30 to 19:30
Place: Instituto Cervantes, Calle Alcalá 49, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
The General Secretariat of Cooperation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Spain is coordinating the Spanish position for the Post-2015 agenda. The goal is to define a consolidated and argued position with the participation of all Spanish cooperation actors. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this workshop.
>>Presentation from Josefina Maestu on Water in the Post-2015 agenda
Place: Palacio de Pedralbes, Barcelona, Spain
Date: 16-17 September 2013
Organizers: GWOPA in collaboration with the Water Alliance
The Global Water Operators' Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), in collaboration with the Water Alliance, organized this coordination meeting to bring together different cooperation and development actors from Spain in the field of water and sanitation. The purpose was to introduce GWOPA's work plan and to exchange information in order to identify possible cooperation activities in Latin America which could support water operators in the region. Pilar Gonzalez, Information management and awareness raising expert, participated in the meeting on behalf of UNW-DPAC.
Date: 1-6 September 2013
Place: Stockholm, Sweden
UNW-DPAC participated in the World Water Week 2013, September 1-6.
Date: 16 July 2013 Time: 11:00h
Place: Facultad de Comercio y Turismo, Aula 43. Avda. Islas Filipinas, 3. Madrid, Spain
Organisers: Escuela Complutense de verano, Fundación La Valmuza
This roundtable focused on water supply issues in developing countries, its implications for poverty and for people's life, health and wellbeing. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this event with a presentation on the 'Water for Life' Decade, its current and future challenges.
Date: 12-13 July 2013
Place: Vitoria-Gasteiz. Alava, Basque Country. Spain
Organizers: Valle Salado de Añana Foundation
On the occasion of the candidacies of the Cultural Landscape of Valle Salado de Añana (Alava, Basque Country) to UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 2014 and to the list of Globally Important Agricultural Systems (GIAHS), the Valle Salado de Añana payed tribute to water, thanks to which its singular way of life, culture and landscape originated. The Valle Salado Foundation wanted to encourage discussion on different aspects related to water landscapes and to traditional water management systems that are vital to communities. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the opening of this conference on Friday 12 July.
Date: 8 July 2013
Place: Edificio cabecera del Parque Metropolitano del Agua Luis Buñuel. Zaragoza, Spain
Organizers: Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Aqualogy
The travelling exhibition "The water sphere" introduces the visitors to the world of water, from its chemical properties to its role in history and human civilization. The exhibition, produced by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and Aqualogy, is divided into two blocks. The first block, Water and Nature, follows the course of the hydrological cycle and its relation to climate and ecosystems. In the second block, Water and Society, the exhibition explores the human influence on the natural water cycle, pollution, and solutions for providing access to drinking water; it also includes the relationship between water and history, health and technology. The exhibition was shown in the Edificio Cabecera of the Zaragoza Water Park from 8 to 26 July 2013 and was inaugurated on 8 July with the participation of Pilar Gonzalez, information and awareness raising expert from UNW-DPAC.
Date: 4 July 2013
Place: Salón Cervantes, Casa de América. Madrid, Spain
Organizers: United Nations Millennium Development Goals Campaign in Spain, UNW-DPAC, Spain Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC)
The 2013 edition of the report was presented in Spain by Amalia Navarro, Coordinator of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Campaign in Spain; Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC; Bruno Moro, Director of Spain Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund. The event was closed by Javier Hernández Peña, Deputy General Director of the General Secretariat of International Cooperation for Development.
>> The Millennium Development Goals Report 2013
Date: 18 June 2013
Place: World Conference Centre, Bonn, Germany
Water is the common denominator across all aspects of inclusive green growth, such as poverty reduction, food and energy security, industrial growth, and protection of ecosystems. But water security remains elusive in many countries. At the local level, recent changes in demography and landscape - from urbanization to climate change - have increased the demand for water and have degraded water supplies. At the global level, ongoing financial, food, and energy crises have amplified water challenges. Losses from water-related disasters are reversing the patterns of growth and development achieved over the past decades.
In this rapidly changing world, there are sizable opportunities for water investments that can generate massive benefits for populations and countries. Governments and businesses are realizing that smart investments in water resources and water services can drive growth while reducing poverty and adverse economic impacts. This workshop, organized by UNW-DPAC, aimed to demonstrate that innovative policy, technology and business solutions exist. However, what must governments do to reform policy? How can development organizations strengthen their support? How can business pursue longer-term investment opportunities in water? These are some of the questions the workshop tried to respond.
Date: Friday 14 June 2013
Place: Salón de Actos de Bantierra, Zaragoza, Spain
Organizers: Partenariado del Agua del Ebro
The meeting "Innovation in Water Governance" took place in the framework of the International Year of Water Cooperation and during the 100st anniversary of the creation of the Ebro River Basin Authority. The workshop shaped new ideas to promote the institutional innovations needed to facilitate a 'new water governance'. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the closing session.
Date: 11-12 June 2013
Place: Sede del Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos y la Asociación de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos
The Spanish Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos and the Asociación de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos organized this workshop with a special focus on the current state of application of River Basin Management Plans and the future challenges of water planning in Spain. Open to all kinds of professionals, experts and people interested in the different aspects of water, the whorkshop intended to promote a comparison of criteria and a debate to move forward in the difficult task of solving water-related problems in Spain. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the workshop on 11 June at session: Water Planning and the Water Framework Directive, from 13:00 to 14:30.
Date: 4-5 June 2013
Place: Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Organizers: Government of Tajikistan in collaboration with UN agencies
In preparation of the High-Level Conference on Water Cooperation which will take place in Dushanbe on 20-21 August 2013, the Steering Committee met to discuss and agree on the final draft of the conference program; decide on key sessions' speakers, moderators and chairs; and make suggestions for the zero draft of the outcome document. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the meeting as member of the Steering Committee.
Date: 29-31 May 2013
Place: Panama
Organizers: Ministry of Health of Panama
The 3rd Latin American Sanitation Conference (LatinoSan 2013) was held under the theme 'Sanitation for all: new challenges: new opportunities'. This conference represented an opportunity to strengthen the leadership of Latin American and Caribbean governments in the sanitation issue, obtain country support for the inclusion of water and sanitation issues in new global goals, set new commitments in the sanitation agenda beyond the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) deadline, and encourage the participation of other stakeholders in the issue. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this conference. She moderated one of the panels and spoke about the process and results of the Post-2015 water thematic consultation.
Date: 21-24 May 2013
Place: Hotel Maritim, Bonn, Germany
Organizers: Global Water System Project with the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German Research Foundation (DFG)
This conference provided a platform to present global and regional perspectives of worldwide experiences on the responses of water management to global change in order to address issues such as variability in supply, increasing demands for water, environmental flows, and land use change. It helped to build links between science and policy and practice in the area of water resources management and governance, related institutional and technological innovations and identify in which ways research can assist policy and practice in the field of sustainable freshwater management. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the conference with a presentation on the theme "UN-Water and the development of a UN leadership in global water governance" on 21 May.
Date: 14-15 May 2013
Place: EXCO, Daegu, Korea
Organizers: Korean Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Daegu Metropolitan City, Gyeongbux Province, Korean Water Forum
This Kick-off Meeting served as the official launch of the 7th World Water Forum. As an initial multi-stakeholder platform event, the Kick-off Meeting sought to propose a roadmap for the preparation of the Forum and to gather inputs from a wide range of stakeholders through facilitated discussion. The Forum aims to contribute to creating a new path for human co-existence by addressing water challenges around the globe, discovering how to implement discussed solutions together and sharing knowledge and expertise. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting on the 15 May with a presentation on the theme "Communication on water in today's world".
Date: Monday, 25 April 2013
Time: 6:30pm
Place: Salón de Actos del MAGRAMA, Plaza de San Juan de la Cruz s/n, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: Fundación Española del Agua Subterránea
"Invisible water" is an outreach project based on the production of thirteen documentaries covering all aspects of groundwater: scientific, technical, environmental, development and use, management, cooperation, etc.
Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the presentation of Chapter 1 of the documentary series "Invisible water. A reality beneath our feet" with a presentation on the importance of cooperation in the management and use of groundwater. This documentary series will be broadcasted as part of the advocacy and communication campaign of the "Water for Life" Decade.
Date: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Place: Malaga, Spain
The Master on Water Resources and the Environment, which is coordinated by the Centre of Hydrology of the University of Malaga, closed its academic year on 24 April.
During the closing ceremony, Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, lectured on the Role of economic instruments in global water concerns based on the conclusions of the Chapter on Valuing Water of the 4th World Water Development Report.
Date: 11 April 2013
Place: Casa Solans, Zaragoza, Spain
The Water For Life Decade Office/UNW-DPAC and the Institut Français of Zaragoza organized the first edition of "L'eau que te gusta" contest among scholars from Aragon, Spain. 300 students and 11 schools from the region participated in this first edition. The award ceremony took place on Thursday 11 April 2013 in Casa Solans, headquarters of the Office.
>> Press release
Date: 10 April 2013
Place: AECID headquarters, Avda. Reyes Católicos nº 4, Madrid, Spain
Organizer: Alianza por el Agua
Alianza por el Agua is a network of public administrations, water suppliers, research and public opinion centres, and social organizations of Spain and Central America which works towards the human right to water and sanitation. UNW-DPAC was invited to become part of the Permanent Commission of the Alliance. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting where different issues were covered, including the partnership agreement for the water-nexus project with the collaboration of the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
Date: 4 April 2013
Place: Colegio de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos, Madrid, Spain
Organizers: SPANCOLD
The Spanish Committee on Large Dams (SPANCOLD) is conducting a series of meetings to raise awareness on major issues related to the economic, social, environmental and technical role of dams in water planning. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting representing international institutions with a presentation on Economic and Financial Sustainability of Water Infrastructures.
Date: 27-28 March 2013
Place: OECD Headquarters, Paris, France
Organizers: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
The OECD Water Governance Initiative aims to provide a multi-stakeholder policy platform to advance on the global water governance agenda. The platform will encompass the establishment of a Policy Forum, the creation of an International Observatory on Water governance, and a Web Portal aimed at stimulating discussions across a wide range of public, private and not-for-profit actors at different levels, within and outside the water community. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this meeting with a presentation on the UN Documentation Centre on Water and Sanitation.
Date: 25 March 2013
Time: 5:30pm – 8:00pm
Place: Hotel Beratxa. Calle de las Escuelas Pías, 7. Tafalla
Organizers: CRANA Foundation
On the occasion of International Year of Water Cooperation and World Water Day, the CRANA Foundation organized a conference aimed at highlighting the value of cooperation between stakeholders as a model to improve water and rivers management. The purpose was also to encourage participation and involvement in the Sud'eau2 project and in water-related issues. Josefina Maestu, Director of UNW-DPAC, participated in this conference with a presentation on "The importance of cooperation in water management".
Date: 20 March 2013
Place: Roca Barcelona Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
Organizers: We are Water Foundation
In the framework of World Water Day, the We are Water Foundation organized a public roundtable where five specialists will shared their personal and professional knowledge on water and international cooperation to achieve fair water resources development. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the roundtable.
Date: 4-7 March 2013
Place: Mumbai, India
Organizers: United Nations Global Compact, Pacific Institute
The 'Corporate Water Stewardship and the Post-2015 Development Agenda: Drawing from the India Experience' conference convened companies, government agencies, civil society groups, academia and others to explore critical and complex corporate water management issues and sought to advance effective and equitable solutions. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the conference with a presentation on 'What we have learned from the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals'.
>> Conference agenda
Date: 28 February – 1 March 2013
Place: Zaragoza, Spain
Organizers: University of Zaragoza, Spain
This meeting focused on the issue of water use, especially in the concessions and authorizations system and water markets related questions. Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the closing of the meeting, where main conclusions were summarized.
Date: 11 February 2013
Place: UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, France
Josefina Maestu, director of UNW-DPAC, participated in the official launch of International Year of Water Cooperation in Paris. She presented the conclusions of the International Annual UN-Water Zaragoza Conference 2012/2013 'Preparing for the 2013 International Year. Water Cooperation: Making it Happen!'
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