In June 2024, the New Waves Festival took place, marking a special edition where we celebrated the 5th anniversary “5 Year Human Capital at Water Europe.” The festival was a great success, attracting many participants who engaged in various exciting workshops and celebrated this significant milestone.
Anniversary Celebration and Presentation
The 5th anniversary of Human Capital at Water Europe was proudly celebrated. Naomi Timmer, Director of EJWP and H2O People, played a key role in the festivities. The celebration was not only a look back at the achievements of the past five years but also an opportunity to look forward to future ambitions and goals.
Several workshops were organized during the festival, led by experts in their fields:
Training Personal Leadership
This training was led by Jennifer Cronick, Trainer and Coach at EJWP and H2O People. This workshop focused on personal leadership skills, teaching participants how to develop and apply their leadership style in a professional environment.
Lego Serious Play
This workshop was led by Naomi Timmer, Director of EJWP and H2O People. This creative and interactive workshop used Lego. Participants could physically shape and share their ideas and insights with others.
Extended Reality
Provided by Albert Chen, University of Exeter, WATERLINE Project. This workshop introduced participants to the possibilities of extended reality (XR) and how this technology can be applied in water management projects. It was an inspiring session that demonstrated how innovation and technology go hand in hand.
Creating a Resilient Workspace Ecosystem
Led by Bonny Everaars, World Water Academy. This session focused on creating resilient work environments. Participants learned strategies and best practices to develop an ecosystem that benefits both employees and organizations.
Connecting European Projects
A short presentation was also given, reflecting on the past five years and highlighting key projects such as Waterline, Spire Sais and Skills4Water. This opportunity provided a look at how these projects have contributed to the development and sustainability of water management practices in Europe. During the event, we fostered synergies between European projects, discussed the development of soft skills within the water community, and explored innovations through Water Innovation Europe and Water Europe initiatives.
For more information about the Skills4Water project, please visit http://www.skills4water.eu. for more details about other projects please visit www.h2opeople.eu.
The festival concluded with a reflection on the lessons learned, led by Durk Krol, Executive Director of Water Europe, and Ira Simionov from the “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati.
The New Waves Festival 2024 was a great success, characterized by valuable networking opportunities, professional development, and a strong community spirit. We are already looking forward to the next edition and further collaboration within the water sector.
For more information about the workshops and the activities of the European Junior Water Programme, please visit http://www.juniorwaterprogramme.eu or http://www.h2o-people.eu.
