Brussels, 17 March 2010. The first European Youth Water Summit opened yesterday with 36 young Europeans from 16 countries coming together in Brussels to focus on discussing water community challenges, needs and priorities.

Speaking at the Summit’s opening ceremony, Chairman of the European Water Partnership,  Mr. Tom Vereijken, stressed the need for international cooperation on current water challenges and the need to involve young people into the process. “A passion for water and cooperation between different cultures are needed. You’ll be our future water leaders. We will need your help”, Mr. Vereijken said.

Two young Summit Participants with extraordinary projects on water issues presented their success stories during the opening ceremony. Mrs. Ceren Burcak Dag, winner of the Stockholm Junior Water Price (SJWP) 2009, is 18 years old and committed her high school years in Turkey to physics, maths and the discovery of nature. Her commitment to water issues and experimental projects is clearly motivated, questioning men’s perceived “urge to destroy the Earth’s most fascinating and life-giving uniqueness”.  The second participant, Mr. Thijs Kuijper from the Netherlands, became President of the European Youth Parliament for Water in 2009. The organization’s “aim is to build and maintain networks where young people can speak about various projects on water,” Mr. Kuijper said. 

The Summit was officially opened by the Echevin Mr. Mampaka. Other opening speakers included Friedrich Barth, Vice Chairman of the European Water Partnership, Nicole Crochet, Project Coordinator of Water Solidarity Europe. Mrs. Marie-Christine Berrezaerts, Water Unit, Bruxelles Environnement, presented the Management Plan for Water and Measures Programme for the Region of Brussels-Capital. Representatives of the organization Green presented pictures of Dieter Telemans’ photo series “Troubled Water”.

The European Youth Water Summit is enabled by the Coca Cola Foundation. It is organized by the European Water Partnership in cooperation with Solidarity Water Europe. Other supporters include the City of Brussels, Green, EEP Group represented by MEP Dr. Seeber. The Summit is sponsored by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, Partners for Water, Partenariat Agence de l’Eau, STIB and the Water Association Finland.

Contact: 

Ms. Agnes Biesiekierska 

a.biesiekierska@ewp.eu [1]

+32 (0) 277 35 192