Youth leadership in focus as IHE Delft students host New York Water Week event

What do you hope to achieve with your New York Water Week event?

Pierantonio La Vena, Italy, MSc in Water and Sustainable Development: 

“Through this event, we aim to stir the debate among young people on our shared understanding of social and political engagement for sustainable water practices in the future. We look forward to hearing the perspectives of the participants as well as sharing the voices of students from IHE Delft.”

Who should join the event, and why? 

Lindsey Kenyon, the United States, Joint Master Programme in Groundwater and Global Change:

“In short: everybody who can. Water is a global issue that affects everyone, regardless of their location or background. New York Water Week provides a platform for attendees to discuss global challenges and collaborate on solutions that can have a positive impact on communities around the world. Not only that, but the event is a chance for people to feel empowered to engage and collaborate with leaders on solutions that can have a positive impact on their own communities.”

Sustainable Development Goal 6 calls for universal access to clean water and sanitation. We’re far from reaching this goal. What do you think needs to be done to speed up progress, and who should do it? 

Sajib Mahanta, India, MSc in Water Governance:

“I firmly believe that accessibility to safe drinking water in developing nations is as much a governance issue as it is a water scarcity problem. As part of my MSc thesis at IHE Delft on water operator partnerships in Malawi, I am exploring the impact of partnerships as a governance approach in delivering safe water services. Multi-stakeholder collaboration among governments, international organizations, civil society organizations, the private sector, and individuals is needed to speed up progress.”

Why is youth leadership important to accelerating progress? 

Igbal Ali, Sudan, MSc in Water and Sustainable Development:

“Youth represents 1.2 billion of the world’s population and have a vested interest in ensuring that water and sanitation are available and accessible to all. They will be the ones to inherit the consequences of decisions made today. Young people can bring new perspectives, supported by new technology, enthusiasm and focus for long-term impact.”

What’s the best way for young people to learn about current water- related problems? 

Valentina Uribe Jaramillo, Colombia, Joint Master Programme in Groundwater and Global Change:  

“Young people can best learn about water issues by proactively engaging with available resources, volunteering, participating in community involvement and youth-led organizations, attending events and conferences, and recognizing the interrelation with other environmental and social issues to develop a comprehensive understanding of the challenges.”

IHE Delft is also involved in many other events at the UN 2023 Water Conference and New York Water Week – more information is available here.