The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability to participate in the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum 2026 in Rome
Jordi Morató will speak at a session organised by UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, on behalf of UN-Water, on capacity development as an investment in Mediterranean water security.
The UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) will participate in the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum 2026, taking place from 29 September to 2 October at the La Nuvola convention centre in Rome. The event will bring together representatives from governments, international organisations, universities, businesses and civil society to address water challenges and promote cooperation across the region.
As part of the Forum, the session “Capacity Development at the Heart of Water Security: Investing in the Future of Mediterranean Societies” will take place on 30 September, from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m., in the Itaca room. Organised by UNESCO and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), on behalf of UN-Water, the session will be held in English and will combine presentations, a panel discussion and an interactive exchange with the audience.
Dr Jordi Morató, Director of the UNESCO Chair on Sustainability at UPC, will deliver a presentation focusing on water-related capacity development in the Mediterranean. He will also join the panel discussion examining how investment in training, knowledge and institutional strengthening can contribute to long-term water security.
The programme will also feature contributions from Yosuke Tomizawa, of UN DESA; Graham Jewitt, Rector of the IHE Delft Institute for Water Education; and Concepción Marcuello Olona, of Spain’s Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge.
The discussion will draw on the UN-Water SDG 6 Capacity Development Initiative, jointly coordinated by UNESCO and UN DESA. This initiative supports countries in identifying their needs and developing national capacity development plans to advance towards universal access to water and sanitation. According to the session programme, the initiative is being implemented in nine pilot countries, including Jordan, whose experience will bring a regional perspective to the exchange.
A central question will be how to sustain training efforts through country-led processes, supported by long-term funding and stable links between public authorities, universities and specialised institutions. The session will seek to connect UN-level coordination with Mediterranean institutions working in water education and training, including UNESCO Chairs.
The participation of the UNESCO Chair at UPC will contribute to this dialogue between academia and those responsible for water management. The outcomes of the session are intended to inform discussions on capacity development ahead of the UN 2026 Water Conference in Abu Dhabi and the 11th World Water Forum, scheduled to take place in Riyadh in 2027.
Further information and registration: official website of the Euro-Mediterranean Water Forum 2026.
Session Program Download Link:
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