2013 is the International Year of Water Cooperation. Friday March 22, the water world is celebrating this with a main event in The Hague, the Netherlands, and other celebrations around the world.
March 22 is a special day for the Water Youth Network. We are a young network, but have high aims.We want to facilitate the cooperation between young people working and thinking about water all over the world.
Cooperation is important. It strengthens a group. It facilitates the exchange of knowledge and ideas. As young people, we get more and more possibilities to think along, and to play a larger role in water politics. This happens on every level. The water world is waking up, and sees that it needs young people to take over in the future. It is a great privilege that we are asked to join the debates, and if we are not, we have to fight for our place.
But what happens once the established water sector has accepted us as an important stakeholder? What do we have to say? And how do we know what to say? How do we get the knowledge and empowerment? How do we make sure that someone with local knowledge gets the message through to the young person who is sitting at the same table as Ban Ki Moon? How do we make sure that that the message of this young person at the UN reaches young people everywhere?
This form of cooperation and exchange is the aim of the Water Youth Network. Strength through cooperation and diversity. 2013 is going to be the year of the youth. It is going to be our year.