“Aquainnovate Kosovo: Young Professionals Shaping the Future of Water” Conference, An Unlocking Innovation by YWP Kosovo

A highly professional Conference was organized for the first time by the Young Water Professionals Group Kosovo, on January 17^th, 2024, in the Kosovo capital, Prishtina.  Titled “Aquainnovate Kosovo: Young Professionals Shaping the Future of Water”, the conference brought together more than 50 water sector professionals from Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Austria.

The conference offered a platform for discussing and presenting the future and innovative opportunities for young individuals to enhance the water and sanitation sector.  The topics covered during the three conference sessions included Access of Young Professionals to Integrated Water Resources Management; Innovative Methods Transforming the Future of the Water Sector in Kosovo; and Knowledge and Innovative Approaches for the Protection of Water Resources at the International/Regional Level.

The conference welcome speeches were delivered by Laurent Torche, Deputy Director at the Swiss Office for Cooperation and Abdullah Derguti, Executive Director at SHUKOS.  The keynote speech was delivered by Dimitrija Sekovski, Team Leader of the Integrated Water Resources Management in Kosovo (IWRM-K) program, who emphasized the vital role of YWP-K’s collaboration and dedication in advancing the water sector’s development.

The recently reactivated YWP Group of Albania, was represented at the conference by Elsa Belba, Specialist at the National Agency for Water Supply and Sewerage of Albania (AKUK), who was featured as a panelist at the 3^rd session, themed “Knowledge and Innovative Approaches for the Protection of Water Resources at the International/Regional Level”.

The 3^rd session was distinguished by its international composition, bringing to the audience the best practices from the Czech Republic, South Africa, and Austria. Throughout this session, participants delved into the challenges and complexities of youth activism in the water sector, drawing insights from experiences in North Macedonia and Albania. Additionally, the discussion touched upon the approaches and opportunities presented by institutions such as Regional Water Companies and IAWD concerning youth initiatives. The key takeaways from this session underscored that young professionals play a pivotal role as catalysts for both society and the water sector.

During her speech, Ms. Belba shared with the audience the history of YWP group in Albania, its current activities and plans, its role in addressing the key challenges of the water sector at the local as well as global scale, among which climate change, along with some innovative solutions in water resources protection.