Reflections from the World Water Forum
August 29, 2024by Ajay Sawant, Social Media Manager
“In a world where stakeholders
will listen to the youth, Mona Lisa
will breathe!”
– perspective of a youth delegate in response to “When Will We See Mona Lisa Smile Again?” (Sean Yang, 2022)
From May 13th to 25th, I had the opportunity to join the World Youth Water Parliament Delegation and participate in several artivism activities prior to and at the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia. This week-long conference was a significant gathering, attracting nearly 50,000 experts and officials from various sectors, including members of parliaments, heads of state, academics, nonprofit organizations, youth, and entrepreneurs. The Forum provided a platform to exchange views, information, and knowledge on current issues related to global water, sanitation, peace-building, youth engagement, and hygiene.
After a grueling 17-hour journey from Delhi, I finally arrived in Bali. Despite the jet lag, my excitement kept me going as I met new people and reconnected with familiar faces from the World Water Forum’s 2nd Stakeholder meeting. The first day kicked off with interactive capacity-building sessions, communication training, and picking out goodies from the generous funding organizations. This was a fantastic introduction to the World Youth Parliament of Water (WYPW), which had gathered 70 young professionals from over 50 countries, all under 30, involved in various aspects of the water sector.
My pre-event days began with the WYPW delegation which hosted its 6th general assembly to prepare youth participants for the main event. During these preparatory days, I had the chance to interact with some of the most inspiring young people in the water sector. These interactions were complemented by an intensive capacity-building program, mock delegation trials, and fun activities including a Visual Thinking Strategies session with Bow Seat artwork.
The following days were intense but rewarding, filled with meetings with expert panels and diplomats. I also participated in conservation activities like the turtle release during the Water Purification Ceremony at Kura Kura Beach, a mangrove clean-up drive, and an art activity.
During the main event, I was able to host a Bow Seat mini-exhibit featuring nearly 10 art pieces by past Ocean Awareness Contest winners in the Youth Pavilion. This exhibit was accompanied by Bow Seat’s poster displays in the Japan, China, and Korea Pavilions. These activities allowed me to engage with hundreds of students from different schools around the world, educating them about our flagship programs and the power of artivism in driving social and environmental change.
Indonesia proved to be an ideal location for the conference, given its persistent challenge with water resources – both freshwater and marine. Most of my time at the conference was spent attending sessions, going around from one pavilion to another, and engaging with the students attending the event. I particularly enjoyed sessions around disaster risk reduction and peace issues. However, the Forum also covered a wide array of topics, including energy, water and peace, nature-based solutions, financing, and water resource management.
I had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations with experts and youth from various countries, including South Korea, the United States, Japan, Spain, the Netherlands, and Uganda. My most memorable moments were participating in the storytelling session hosted by Stefan Siepman from the International Groundwater Resources Assessment Centre (IGRAC), connecting with kids over the art activity, and dancing with the Indonesian Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, who showcased his musical talent by playing drums with the band at the Forum’s sponsor-only party. His lively participation made him one of the most enjoyable ministers I have met.
As a young professional working at the intersection of ocean and climate change, I found the Forum to be more inclusive than I had anticipated. The event offered remarkable networking opportunities, allowing me to connect with experts from different parts of the world—a rarity at such large gatherings.
Overall, I’m deeply grateful to Bow Seat, the International Secretariat of Water, and the Swiss Agency of Cooperation and Development for sponsoring this incredible experience and all the knowledge I gained in Bali.