Water & Peace: European Youth Parliament for Water October 1-7

Solidarity Water Europe presents:

The 14^th European Youth Parliament for Water

October 1-7, 2017 — Rovereto, Italy

ROVERETO, Italy — The 14th edition of the European Youth Parliament for Water was held from October 1-7 in the Italian city of Rovereto. The event brought together young delegates from 17-25 years of age from across Europe to discuss the vital issues surrounding water and peace. They debated and attended talks, workshops and field visits in and around Rovereto, all related to Water and Peace.

The Parliament was conceived by Solidarity Water Europe in 2003, and is held in a different host country each year. The Fondazione Opera Campana dei Caduti and the Comune di Rovereto are co-organizers for this 14th edition. The mission of the Parliaments is to bring European youth together around a specific water-related theme, so they can better understand issues related to governance, resource management and environmental protection.

Delegates came to Rovereto from Turkey, the Czech Republic, Morocco, Malta, Lithuania, Kosovo, Italy, Greece, France, Bulgaria, Belgium, Armenia, Russia, Spain, and Strasbourg, France.

The opening ceremony was held on the afternoon of Monday October 2 at the provincial parliament of Trento. Speaking were Bruno Dorigatti, president of the Council of Trento; Alberto Robol, regent of the Fondazione Opera Campana dei Caduti; Pio Wennubst, ambassador/head of the global cooperation division of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation; Antonella Cagnolati, present of Solidarity Water Europe; and Claire Pace, president of the 13th European Youth Parliament for Water.

The morning of Wednesday October 4 marked the 92nd anniversary of the Campana dei Caduti, also known as the Peace Bell. Attendees were joined by the Minicoro di Rovereto, a children’s choir, as they sang Ode to Joy, the Anthem of Europe, together. At the conclusion of the Parliament, the parliament’s newly-elected president, Victor Macé of France, delivered the text of the collective commitment (PDF) to local authorities in a gesture of commitment.

The 14th European Youth Parliament for Water would not have been possible without the generous assistance of the Fondazione Opera Campana dei Caduti, the Comune di Rovereto, Gruppo Dolomiti Energia, and ITAS Assicurazioni. We would also like to thank the founding partners, the Government of Switzerland (DDC) and the Agence de l’eau Artois-Picardie, for their generous support.

Program (PDF)

Schedule (PDF)

Media kit (PDF)