Brasilia, Brazil, 4-8 November 2025
PROGRAMME
Tuesday 4 November
Pre-conference Tour and Award Ceremony "Back To Our Future"
Award Ceremony and Film Screening: ‘Back to Our Future’ Water Film Prize. Presented by Ellen Schultz, Reginaldo Pereira Miguel, Eriberto Eulisse and Irene Leonardelli.
Screening of ‘Amazonas - The Largest River in the World’ (1918) by Silvino Santos, with a soundtrack by Allison Michelle.
Wednesday 5 November - Day 1
WELCOME SPEECHES
- Ibaneis Rocha (Governor of the Federal District of Brasilia)
- Abou Amani (Director of the Division of Water Sciences and Secretary UNESCO-IHP)
- H.E. Ambassador Santiago Irazabal Mourão (President of the Brazilian National Commission for UNESCO)
- Raimundo Ribeiro (President of Adasa)
- Luis Antonio Reis (President of Caesb)
- Rogério Rosso (Director of Adasa and Coordinator of the MINA Project)
- Eddy Moors (President of the Global Network of Water Museums)
Session 1 - Adapting to a Changing Climate
Chair: Glauco Kimura de Freitas (Water Resilience Tracker, Brazil)
- Ricardo Burg Mlynarz (UNESCO-IHP): Adapting Water Management to Climate Change in LAC countries: from Local Community to Transboundary Cooperation
Screening of the video ‘Voices of the Guaranì’, produced by MSP Guaranì and UNESCO Montevideo (2024)
• Gutemberg Gomes (State Secretary for the Environment GDF): The Federal District’s Environmental Agenda in the Face of Climate Change
• Cássio Rampinelli (National Water and Sanitation Agency, Brazil): Impact of Climate Change on Water Resources in Brazil
• Glênio da Luz Lima Junior (Superintendency of Environment and Water Resources of Caesb): Challenges and Opportunities for Adapting to Climate Change in the Federal District
• Karl Matthias Wantzen (UNESCO Chair Rivers and Heritage), presented by Pia Parolin: Pantanal: A Threatened Heritage of Brazil
Session 2 - The Memorial Internacional da Agua - MINA: Oscar Niemeyer’s Vision for the United Nations of Water Museums in Brasilia, Brazil
Chair: Ruben Fernandes (Aguas do Porto, Portugal)
- Rogerio Rosso, Félix Palazzo and Apolinário Rebêlo (Adasa): The MINA International Water Memorial Designed by Oscar Niemeyer
- Eriberto Eulisse (Executive Director, Global Network of Water Museums): WAMU+NET’s proposal for MINA: Why an Educational Space for the United Nations of Water Museums?
Session 3 - Promoting Education through the ‘Water Cloud’: An Open Access Digital Repository for Museums and Schools
Chair: Sara Ahmed (Living Waters Museum, India)
Presentation of the Project ‘Water Cloud’: Resources for Inclusive Sustainable Futures. A Contribution of WAMU+NET to Water Sustainability Education and UNESCO-IHP Phase IX (2022–2029).
Open discussion with: Ellen Freedman Schultz (Fairmount Interpretive Center, Philadelphia, US), Margarida Filipe (Museu da Agua, Lisbon, Portugal), Shelly Johnson Mukwa Musayett (Thompson Rivers University, Canada), Bernard Combes (Senior Expert in Education), Alexander Otte (UNESCO-IHP), Irene Leonardelli and Lucrezia Gigante (WAMU+NET)
Poster Session: Water Sustainability Education
- Gabrielle Ribeiro and Miguel Sartori (Adasa), ‘Adasa na Escola’: Building a Water-Conscious Generation in the Federal District
- Evelyn Arias Garriga and José Antonio Yanez Balbuena (Albear Aqueduct Museum, La Habana, Cuba), Water Education Activities Promoted by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH) in La Habana
- Margarida Filipe (Lisbon Water Museum, Portugal), Training Education for Teachers on Sustainability
- Sukrit Sen and Sara Ahmed (Living Water Museum, India), Voices from the Climate Wall
- Chhavi Mathur and Sara Ahmed (Living Waters Museum, India), Faride Samoura and Alassane Samoura (Musee de l’Eau, Burkina Faso), Fluidity in Water Education
- Fatima Al Mesnad and Moza Al Mesef (Kharamaa Water Awareness Park), Education Activities for Improved Sustainability
- Gianfranco Brivio, ‘Identità Fluenti’: Participatory Practices in the ‘Adda di Leonardo’ Ecomuseum. Enhancing Tourism through Parish Maps and Interactive Experiences
- Pia Parolin (Senior Researcher), Water People Stories
- Deirdre Crowe (Water Museum of Ireland), Building Local and Global Connections. A Selection of Sustainability, Climate and Heritage Education Initiatives from Ireland
- Olivia Jeffers (United States), Sustainability Through Experience: Adventure Retreats that Inspire Understanding and Connection of Water in History and Our World Today
Thursday 6 November - Day 2
Session 4 - The Contribution of Museums to Water Governance in Tackling Climate Change. The Role of Local Communities to Foster Innovation through Traditional Knowledge and Ancient Hydro- Technologies (AHTs)
Chair: Farah Kabir (Action Aid and Community-based Museum of Kalapara, Bangladesh)
Keynote: Francesco Visentin and Anna Brusarosco (University of Udine, Italy): From the Hydraulic Society to the Amphibious Culture: Re-Imaging Museums into the Aquacene
Speakers:
- Anne Poelina, Mara Bun and Lachie Carracher (Martuwarra Fitzroy River Council and Notre Dame University, Australia): The Fitzroy Martuwarra’s Council Contribution to Face Climate Change Adaptation
- Luisa Ambrosi and Paula Jácome (Yaku Parque Water Museum, Fundación Museos de la Ciudad, Quito, Ecuador): Somos Pàramo: Sensory Storytelling for Climate Justice and Ancestral Water Governance
- Rashad Salim and Hannah Lewis (Open Museum Initiative for Water Culture, Basra, Iraq): From Remembering to Revitalising: Water Cultures as Active Heritage for a Future in Iraq
- Liliana Pena Naval (Brazilian Water Museum and University of Tocantins, Brazil): Waters of Belonging: Intercultural Dialogues on Water, Identity and Climate Justice
- Javier Taks (University of the Republic, Montevideo): Ancestral Hydro-Technologies in Latin America: Hope and Possibilities
- Abdelkrim Boughoud (Douiret-Sbâa Association for Local Development, Morocco), Vladimiro Boselli, Edo Bricchetti and Irene Leonardelli (WAMU+NET): Douiret-Sbâa, the first Eco-museum of the Oasis in Morocco: a Sustainable Model of Social Cohesion to Climate Change Adaptation
Roundtable - Shaping the Transition towards More Resilient Futures with the Involvement of Local Communities and Indigenous People
Chair: Farah Kabir (Action Aid and Community-based Museum of Kalapara, Bangladesh) with:
- Darlene Sanderson (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada)
- Elham Raee (ICQHS, Yazd, Iran)
- Marco and Riccardo Iamiceli (Paese dell’Acqua, Sassinoro, Italy)
- Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp (Māori Tribal Trust, New Zealand)
- Valdelice Veron Kaiowá (Terra Vida Justiça e Demarcação)
Book Presentations - Indigenous Waterviews and Water Museums in Latin America
- Javier Taks (UNESCO Chair at the University of the Republic, Montevideo): Water Museums in Latin America and the Caribbean. A Preliminary Guide, in cooperation with UNESCO Montevideo Office
- Darlene Sanderson (University of Northern British Columbia, Canada), Shelly Johnson Mukwa Musayett (Thompson Rivers University, Canada) and Te Aturangi Nepia-Clamp (Māori Tribal Trust, New Zealand): Indigenous Waterviews, published by the Indigenous Environmental Network
Poster Session - Water Heritage and Climate Change
- Ye Honglei and Lili Yumei, National Water Museum of China: Chinese Hydraulic Heritages
- Farah Kabir, Community-based Museum of Kalapara, Bangladesh (in cooperation with ActionAid Bangladesh): Water Heritage under Climate Threat: Community Voices from Bangladesh
- Leticia Ricevich and Giovanna Pereira (Adasa): Water Heritage Conservation and Climate Action in the Cerrado: The Case of the Pipiripau Water Producer Project
- Elham Raei, ICQHS, UNESCO Cat.2 Centre, Yazd, Iran: Preserving and Promoting Iran’s Water Heritage
- Karin Wundsam, Marktgemeinde Engelhartszell, Austria: Danube Water Heritage and Climate Change
- Debora Silva, Águas e Energia do Porto, Portugal: Revitalizing the Parque Patrimonial das Águas in Porto
- Zhang Huaiji, Yellow River Museum, China: The Water Heritages of the Yellow River
- Marco and Riccardo Iamiceli, Paese dell’Acqua, Italy: Promoting the Extended Heritage of the Tammaro River: a new Interpretive Centre
Friday 7 November - Day 3
17th General Assembly Of The Global Network Of Water Museums
Opening by Eddy Moors (President of WAMU+NET and Rector of IHE Delft, Netherlands)
Building Cultural Bridges and Peace in an Era of Growing Conflicts
Elham Raee (ICQHS, UNESCO Cat.2 Centre, Yazd, Iran): Persian Qanats as Heritage for Peace and Resilience
Toward a New Charter for WAMU+NET
Philippe Pypaert (Senior Expert in Hydrology): Strengthening WAMU+NET’s Contribution to Water Sustainability Education and IHP Phase 9: Proposal of new Roles for Members, Working Groups (WGs) and Thematic Networks (TNs)
Ongoing Projects - Toward the New Management Board
Eriberto Eulisse (Autonomous Province of Trento, Italy): Presentation of WAMU+NET’s Ongoing Projects
Enhancing Farsighted Water Management through Artistic Languages: ‘Soil Art Tales’ and ‘Aqua Motion’ Art Residencies
Announcement of the New Management Board (2026-2027)
Election Procedure
Collaborations with UNESCO Chairs
Carola Hein and Matteo D’Agostino (TU Delft, Netherlands): Insights and Takeaways from Water Museum Leaders interviewed by the UNESCO Chair ‘Water, Ports, and Historic Cities’ at the 5th WAMU+NET Conference in Porto
World Café - Medium and Long-Term Prospects for WAMU+NET
Chair: Ian Kerr-Wilson (Global Network of Water Museums)
Thematic discussions:
- Improving Communications about Peace through the Network of Water Museums
- WAMU+NET’s Participatory Governance: One Member, One Vote
- Proposals for Upgrading the Charter of WAMU+NET
- New Roles for Members, Governing Bodies, Thematic Networks (TNs) and Working Groups (WGs)
- Ongoing Projects on Water Sustainability Education (WSE) and Ancient Hydro-Technologies (AHTs)
- Toward a Community of Young Ambassador ‘The Water We Want’
- Contributions to IHP Phase 9
- Proposals from the Members
Envisioning New Water Museums and Innovative Spaces to Educate, Exhibit and Engage Local Communities
Chair: Mariana Castro Henriques (Museu da Agua, Lisbon, Portugal)
- Alioune Dème (Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Dakar, Senegal): The case of the Musée des Peuples de l’Eau of Dakar: From the Proposal of WAMU+NET at the 9th World Water Forum to its Virtual Exhibition
- Manfredi Leone (University of Palermo, Italy): Water Heritage, Landscape and the Extended Water Museum of Palermo, Sicily
- Farah Kabir (ActionAid, Bangladesh): Creating a New Water Museum with the Involvement of the Local People
- Liliana Pena Naval (Brazilian Water Museum and University of Tocantins, Brazil): Letters from the Future: Children and Teens Speak on Climate Change
Discussion with:
Fernando Yavari (SAGUAPAC, Bolivia), Rashad Salim (Open Museum Initiative for Water Culture, Basra, Iraq), Sara Ahmed (Living Waters Museum, India), Alassane Samoura (Musée de l’Eau, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)
Saturday 8 November - Day 4
City tour of Brasilia
Wednesday 12 November - Event in Belém in conjunction with COP 30
Screening of the Winners of the Film Prize ‘Back to Our Future’
Film Screening: Winners of the Prize ‘Back to Our Future’.
Conversation with: Igor Amin (director of Instituto Mundos, Brazil) and Eriberto Eulisse (director of WAMU+NET).
Discussion with: Liliana Pena Naval (Brazilian Water Museum), Francesco Visentin and Anna Brusarosco (University of Udine, Italy).
In cooperation with: Let’s Talk About Water (US), Instituto Mundos (Brazil) and University of Tocantins (Brazil).