"From New York to Montpellier, Everyone Is Working Together for Sustainable Water" with Icireward

[Press Release] - Published on March 21, 2023 in the Press Room

The UNESCO Icireward International Center, supported by the University of Montpellier, is organizing an event on March 24 to coincide with the United Nations Water Conference, which will take place from March 22 to 24, 2023, in New York. This unique awareness-raising event will consist of two parts: during the day, awareness-raising workshops for elementary and middle school students from Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and the region; and in the late afternoon, a free roundtable discussion open to all titled “Water Resources: It’s Getting Complicated!”

The schedule for Friday, March 24

School workshops at the Corum: Montpellier Convention Center, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., then from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

In the morning and afternoon, the event “From New York to Montpellier: Everyone Working Together for Sustainable Water” will focus on young people. The Corum in Montpellier will welcome elementary and middle schools from Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole and the Occitanie Region (Lozère). In total, more than 500 students will learn about the challenges related to water resources, which are crucial to their future. To this end, students will participate in a wide variety of workshops, such as photo exhibits, scale models, a water mural, and hands-on and artistic workshops. Throughout the day, Frédéric Denhez (author, TV and radio commentator, science communicator, and host) will be on hand to further spark their curiosity.

A roundtable discussion in the Urbain V Auditorium of the Faculty of Law and Political Science, starting at 6:30 p.m.

The event will conclude with the roundtable discussion “Water Resources: Things Are Getting Complicated!” Last summer highlighted the importance and vulnerability of water resources. What are the key issues and major challenges ahead? What are the constraints and opportunities for action? A diverse panel of scientists, elected officials, managers, and users will address issues related to water resources, their evolution, accessibility, quality, and the need to share them equitably. Particular emphasis will be placed on the need to revitalize dialogue among all stakeholders in the field in order to address the major challenges on the horizon, as well as to explore existing avenues for improvement and innovation. This roundtable will be moderated by Frédéric Denhez, author, TV and radio commentator, science communicator, and host.

List of speakers: Céline Michelon, winemaker at Mas de Bayle – Éric Servat, director of the UNESCO International Center Icireward – Florence Vaysse, regional representative for Languedoc and Roussillon at Météo France – Gabrielle Halpern, Ph.D. in philosophy – Grégory Vallée, director of the Montpellier Méditerranée Métropole Water Authority – Jean-François Blanchet, CEO of BRL Groupe.

The UNESCO ICIREWARD International Center in a Nutshell

The UNESCO International Center for Interdisciplinary Research on Water Systems Dynamics (Icireward) is the first and only UNESCO research and training center dedicated to inland water in France. Located in Montpellier, it ranks among the most important centers of its kind internationally. Icireward brings together and strengthens collaboration among nearly 400 scientists and 150 doctoral students across 17 research laboratories. The center’s scientific community thus forms a rich, multidisciplinary, and international network aimed at improving our understanding of water-related challenges. Its research areas combine hydrological, chemical, and biological sciences with the social sciences to provide comprehensive expertise in addressing water resource challenges: availability, quality, equitable distribution, and extreme events (floods, droughts). Icireward works year-round with elementary and middle school students, high school students, college students, and the general public.