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In 2022, Grundfos, a global leader in advanced pump solutions and water technologies, together with the International Water Association (IWA), initiated the Youth Action for SDG 6 Fellowship, giving 13 carefully selected Young Water Professionals (YWPs) a unique opportunity to make their voice heard on a global stage, with one of the highlights being active participation at the 2023 United Nations Water Conference in New York.
At the conference, YWPs engaged with global leaders in panels, workshops, and roundtables. The Fellowship culminated at Grundfos Headquarters in Denmark in September 2023, where YWPs showcased projects, discussed takeaways, and emphasized the crucial role of young professionals in shaping the water sector’s future.
Earlier this week, these young water professionals presented an impactful and unique publication at the 5th IWA 2023 Emerging Water Leaders Forum held alongside the IWA Water and Development Congress & Exhibition in Kigali, Rwanda. Impressed with the work the YWPs have done over the year, Grundfos announced that it will continue to support the Fellowship along with IWA by extending the collaboration and give the YWPs the opportunity to work and strengthen their projects. The members who have passed the 35-year mark will support the Fellowship in an advisory role, leaving 10 Youth members on the journey to accelerate water action. Grundfos and IWA will continue conversations to reinforce the value of youth for the water sector at a global scale.
Paul Due Jensen, CEO of Grundfos says, “We are proud to support the YWPs. When it comes to safeguarding our precious water resources, we have a responsibility to act now while at the same time being forward-looking. By collaborating with these dedicated young people, we are enabling future water leaders, whose fresh perspectives will lead us towards sustainable water management.”
Kala Vairavamoorthy, Executive Director, IWA added, “The Fellowship brought together 13 exceptional YWPs from diverse corners of the world, transcending geographical and cultural boundaries to create a transformative journey. The result of this journey is today’s joint Grundfos-IWA publication. The partnership with Grundfos is very important to us as it has enabled young water professionals to pick up and work on key projects and also have a voice at key global forums.”
The Youth Action for SDG6 – IWA & Grundfos Fellowship Outcomes aims to highlight the important role young people play in the UN 2030 Agenda, focusing on how the water sector can be transformed by their energy and excellence. It is a culmination of the exciting journey the 13 YWP have been on. Each chapter of this anthology is a mosaic of the Youth Fellows’ projects, carefully chosen to reflect their unique contributions toward achieving the SDGs, with a focus on SDG 6. The publication’s five chapter’s focus on how we can activate, develop, and yield the contributions from young water professionals around the globe effectively.
The publication is a testimony to the diverse understanding of the representatives of the Fellowship and offers both inspiration and concrete suggestions for actors in the water industry and policy makers.
Inês Breda, outgoing IWA-Grundfos Fellow & Senior Manager of Global Partnerships and Alliances, Grundfos, says “Participating in the fellowship feels like getting a sneak peek of the water crisis at a global scale, while at the same time it gives me hope because I experienced how water professionals from all around the globe spend vast amount of their time and energy into developing solutions. I am thankful for the experience and I cannot wait to continue to support the current young leaders of the water sector.”
