First UNESCO-IHE Director Opens International Symposium on Water Education and Capacity Building

This week Dr. Richard A. Meganck was installed as the first director of the UNESCO-IHE Institute for Water Education, leaving his former post as director of sustainable development and environment at the Organization of American States (USDE/OAS).

Today, Meganck undertakes his first public function addressing the UNESCO-IHE Symposium on "Water Education and Capacity Building" attendees.

In his previous capacity as director of USDE/OAS, Dr. Meganck was responsible for all technical assistance, policy development, external fund raising, partnership building and project implementation provided by the USDE/OAS, in the areas of environment, in all OAS member states.

"Water has reached the top of the international agenda, and I see it as our (UNESCO-IHE) role to empower people, communities and institutions to achieve effective water management through education, training and research with the future water managers of the world," Meganck states.

Today?s symposium brings together over 200 experts from the UNESCO "water family" and partners in water education from around the world, who will identify new strategies, actions and coalitions in water education and capacity building, anticipating the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2015).

Source: IHE