Cross-border cooperation at the heart of World Water Week 2024

Under the theme “Bridging borders: water for a peaceful and sustainable future”, the 2024 edition of Stockholm Water Week (SWWW) brought together a wide range of stakeholders to propose solutions to global water issues. The event provided an opportunity to follow up on commitments made at the 2023 UN Water Conference and the 10th World Water Forum in Bali.

The International Secretariat for Water (ISW) took an active part, supporting a large delegation from the World Youth Parliament for Water (WYPW). The World Youth Parliament for Water  is positioned as a “key collaborating partner” of SWWW, alongside the World Bank and the Swiss and Finnish governments.

As a result, young people were fully involved in SWWW preparations and discussions, being represented in numerous high-level sessions and panels. A highlight of this year’s event was that, for the first time, representatives of the World Youth Parliament for Water sat on the World Water Week Scientific Committee.

Strengthening global water governance

SWWW 2024 featured high-level sessions aimed at strengthening global water governance, using the event as a strategic springboard between the 2023 UN Water Conference, the 2024 World Water Forum, and future milestones such as the 2026 and 2028 UN Conferences. Emphasis was placed on cross-border cooperation and the promotion of peace, with a high-level segment dedicated to the follow-up of initiatives launched in Bali, around the Spirit of Bandung, where a representative of the World Youth Parliament for Water took the floor.

The event also contributed to the consultations leading up to COP 29 on climate and COP 16 on biodiversity. The International Secretariat for Water (ISW), through the Butterfly Effect network, actively participated in the preparatory discussions of the UN 2026 Water Conference, working with the co-organizers – the United Arab Emirates and Senegal – to ensure inclusive participation of civil society and young people. Expectations include the adoption of a UN General Assembly resolution for regular intergovernmental meetings on water, as well as concrete action plans to implement the commitments made.

Unified and influential youth

Youth was at the heart of the discussions at this year’s event. A dozen young representatives of the WYPW took part in nearly eight sessions, dialoguing with numerous stakeholders to promote youth representation in water governance and their access to jobs in the sector.

  • Youth perspectives on transboundary water management

In a session dedicated to youth perspectives on transboundary water management, co-organized by the ISW, the WYPW, the Geneva Water Hub, SDC and the Swiss Water Partnership, speakers presented concrete examples of young people’s involvement in this theme across different regions of the world. The session highlighted the essential role of young people as key players in today’s transboundary water governance. Their inclusion in decision-making processes is essential to guaranteeing fair and sustainable water and peace policies.

  • Youth networking event for water

The ISW also organized an informal gathering at the start of the week to enable young World Water Week participants to meet, exchange views and reflect on the actions and advocacy messages of the Global Youth Movement for Water. It was an opportunity for them to strengthen their ties and plan their contributions to the next major international events.

  • Presentation of the “We Are Water” artistic initiative

The “We Are Water” initiative, developed at the WYPW’s 6th General Assembly on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, was presented at the session “From source to sea: advancing plastic pollution international policy”, co-organized by the French Water Partnership (PFE/FWP). A representative of the WYPW underlined the importance of recycling to protect water resources, and the crucial role played by young people in raising awareness and innovating in the face of these environmental challenges.

Conclusion and outlook

This year’s event enabled us to strengthen existing partnerships and initiate new ones, with several promising bilateral exchanges paving the way for future collaborations to intensify our joint actions.

Nevertheless, the uncertainty surrounding the next World Water Week raises concerns for the water sector, the environment and official development assistance. In the face of these challenges, the ISW and its networks remain fully mobilized. More than ever, it is essential that young people and civil society mobilize to defend fundamental values such as solidarity, respect for human rights to water and sanitation, and the protection of democracy.