Talk by Carola Hein, Professor and Chair History of Architecture and Urban Planning at Delft University of Technology and 2024-2025 research-fellow at the Paris IAS (Sorbonne Université Chair), as part of a side event organized for the 50th Anniversary of IHP and 60 years of UNESCO Water Sciences.

Event closed to the public.

Présentation

The Global Network of Water Museums (WAMU-NET) is a flagship initiative of IHP. Building up on WAMU-NET’s video-installation “The Voices of Water”, which premiered at the 10th WWF in Indonesia, this side event will highlight why ancient water cultures and hydro-technologies (AHTs) must be considered today to design innovative adaptation strategies to climate change, regenerate biodiversity and inspire shared solutions with local communities.

Revitalizing AHTs to address contemporary water challenges is a global priority. Still today, a varied range of AHTs speaks to ancient humankind’s ingenuity to guarantee human prosperity in the most diverse ecological conditions. Such systems are conceived as part of an ecosystemic approach where water management is deeply interlinked with cultural values. These values can inspire innovative solutions to mitigate climate change when properly combined with new technologies.

The presentation of an innovative mapping methodology to locate and conceptualize water heritage, traditional knowledge, and AHTs’ good practices will be discussed from an educational and museological perspective to build a Community of Practice.

Today, AHTs can be revitalized also using short films to convey water-related values, involving the scientists and sensitizing people through museums, interpretive centers and community-based museums. Short films are creative tools to foster new languages, stimulate researchers and also involve local communities during the film making process.

On the occasion of the 50^th Anniversary of IHP, the exhibition organized by WAMU-NET with ADASA (Brazil) at UNESCO’s headquarters aims to disseminate AHTs-related good practices to improve sustainable water management through museums – including the recently announced MINA Water Memorial, in Brasilia, designed by renowned architect Niemeyer.

The Water Film Prize “Back to our Future” launched in cooperation with LTAW will be also presented to involve the UNESCO water family. Winners will be awarded in Brasilia in November at the 6th International Conference of WAMU-NET.

Programme

Organisateur

Eriberto Eulisse, Executive Director of the Global Network of Water Museums (WAMU-NET)

In collaboration with:

- The Permanent Delegation of Brazil to UNESCO
- The Permanent Delegation of Italy to UNESCO
- UNESCO Chair Water, Ports and Historic Cities, TUD, Netherlands
- UNESCO Chair Engineering for Sustainable Living, Univ. of Trento, Italy
- IHE Delft, UNESCO Cat.2 Centre, Netherlands
- Let’s Talk About Water, US
- ADASA-MINA Water Memorial, Brazil
- University of Tocantins, Brazil
- Musée de la Civilisation de l’Eau au Maroc, Morocco
- RAKI Films, France
- Safina Project, UK