This year, the main objective is to accelerate change to solve the water and sanitation crisis. Four experts on hydrology got the chance to meet students from 5 different countries in Africa and Europe to discuss how water impacts our everyday life and why it is so important to preserve it.
The Groupe Scolaire Marie Reine Rwaza in Musanze, Rwanda; the Waverly Girls High School, Johannesburg, South Africa ; the International University Demonstration School in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; the Eridan International School, Montpellier, France ; and the Lycée Bilangue Mbo Yom III, Bandjoun, Cameroon exchanged with Ruth Nguma, Associate Programme Specialist at the UNESCO Natural Sciences Sector; Ornella Tchanque, Research Assistant in the Science Section of UNESCO's Regional Office in Dakar; Alexander Otte, Associate Programme Specialist at the Natural Sciences Sector of UNESCO and Anne-Chantal Ayuk Besong, Associate Project Officer for Communications at the Water Sciences Division of UNESCO.
The first main issue of this UNESCO Campus was addressed by Anne-Chantal Ayuk Besong, Associate Project Officer at the Water Sciences Division, managing their communications and contributing to inform, educate and raise public awareness on the need to better use, manage and govern the world’s freshwater resources. “Water is all around us but never enough to be used by all of us”, therefore freshwater needs to be kept clean from pollution. If we want to preserve our sources we need to take care of the water system. To increase hydrology education, she reassured that we always need to keep in mind that every little action counts.
Anne-Chantal Ayuk Besong ended her speech with a key message on global impact:
Ruth Nguma, has more than 11 years’ of experience in working in Climate and water systems modelling, and climate information services sector. She has contributed to disaster risk reduction through her expertise and skills in hydro-meteorological modelling, drought & flood forecasting, and early warning systems in Kenya. She reminded us about the power and necessity of science, and why we should always increase scientific researches, especially about groundwater.
Finally, Ornella Tchanque, who has been working for the past 9 years on issues of water resources management, biodiversity within the UNESCO and biosphere, innovative science and technology, climate change, and the mobilization of women and youth in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering et Mathematics), ended this dialogue by supporting the implication of young people in this domain. They are the future of the world and of the sciences, they can all have a roll in hydrology. She emphasized also the importance but mainly the legitimacy for young girls to pursue scientific careers.
This event was held thanks to the support of the Foundation Engie and 6C Conseil.
