YPFP Brussels would like to invite you to our event discussing the UN Water Conference 2023, organized in collaboration with YPFP Tokyo. Having taken place on 22-24 March and co-hosted by Tajikistan and the Netherlands, the Conference aimed to unite the world in accelerating action towards achieving Sustainable Development Goal 6 on clean water and sanitation for all.
Billions of people still live without safely managed water and sanitation. Achieving this goal is therefore vital to the success of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to end extreme poverty and protect our planet. With climate change profoundly affecting our economies, societies, and environment, water is the biggest deal breaker to achieving the internationally agreed water-related goals and targets.
The round-table discussion will bring together 6 speakers from around the world to shed light on today’s pressing water issues. It will aim to include the voices of young professionals and experts on access to water and sanitation, the role of climate change, and environment and water diplomacy. You will have the chance to gain insights into these complex topics and exchange your views and ideas with professionals active in these areas.
Speakers:
Dr. Carmen Marques Ruiz is currently an EU Climate Pact Ambassador and the coordinator of the Spanish Ambassadors of the EU Climate Pact. She has previously worked for the European Commission on EU foreign policy (development, human rights, environment) in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. Most recently, Ms Marques Ruiz was a Policy Coordinator on the Environment and Water Diplomacy at the European External Action Service (EEAS), and has been strongly involved in the 2018 Council conclusions of water diplomacy. She holds an LLM from Harvard, as well as a PhD in International Environmental Law from the Universidad Complutense in Madrid.
Cyrielle Noël is the founder of Eau daCité whose mission is to reconnect cities, citizens and companies to the original source of urbanization: waterways. Ms Noël is a volunteer with Montréal Global Shapers and is a board member of the Foundation of Environmental Stewardship. For her work in sustainable development, she has been recognized on the Corporate Knights’ 2020 Top 30 under 30 in Sustainability list, and received the CBC’s Black Changemaker award in 2022.
Grace Silver is a scientist with a background in Environmental Management and Hydrology. Her search for innovative solutions to solve global issues has brought her from California to Hawaii, and now around the world for WASH projects with CLEAN International. In addition to managing data and international projects, Grace is leading a technology innovation research project with engineering students at California Polytechnic University. She is passionate about helping CLEAN International provide clean water to communities through sustainable projects that focus on collaboration, innovation, excellence, equity and inclusion.
Peshang Hama Karim is a PhD candidate in Environmental Sciences, majoring in Hydrology. He is currently an intern at the World Meteorological Organization, and the Regional Youth Focal Point for the United International Federation of Youth (UN1FY). Besides being the contact point for the Water and Climate Working Group at YOUNGO, he is also the co-founder of the Swedish Jingedosty Environmental Organization in Iraq. In addition, Mr Hama Karim is the vice president of the Young Professional Network Poland Brunch at the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), and has participated in many international conferences, seminars and interviews on the climate change crisis.
Iris Zhan is a climate activist, organizer and advocate. They have started and led both local and international initiatives such as the Sunrise Movement Howard County hub and Fridays For Future Digital (FFF Digital). Their focus is action for climate empowerment at the intersection of digital organizing and creating a more intersectional and accessible global climate justice movement. They are also a Youth Messenger for ClimateScience and a Spring 2023 International Intern for Climate Reality.
Himaja Nagireddy is the 11th Youth Observer to the UN from the US, as part of the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA). In her role she uplifts the voices and actions of young people across the US in global policy dialogue on international issues of importance, by representing young people at UN conferences and meetings with leadership at the US-UN Mission, US State Department, UN Youth Envoy Office, and UN Foundation. Ms Nagireddy currently serves as a Health Equity Research Fellow at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry at the CDC and as one of the youngest local elected representatives in Massachusetts.
The event will take place via Zoom and the link will follow after registration. For more details please contact Lina Stahl, UN Series Officer.