The Global Water Alliance (GWA) is a network of interested organizations and individuals committed to helping to meet the UN Millennium Development Goals for water/sanitation throughout the world. By utilizing the resources and expertise of the Philadelphia Region and beyond, we work to increase global access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services.
Please join us for the 9th Annual GWA Conference, WASH & The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2015-2030, on April 6th, 2016 at Temple's Fox Business School. The Conference will feature keynote speakers Tom Slaymaker (UNICEF), Liz Jordan (USAID), and Seung Lee (Save the Children), and include government, NGO, private sector, and academic organizations.
Conference Objectives:
- To learn about the new UN Sustainable Development Goals for WASH and what major organizations are doing to help developing countries attain them
- To provide examples of innovations and best practices in the WASH field
- To engender a dialogue between people interested in helping developing countries
Preliminary Agenda:
8:00-8:30 AM Continental Breakfast
8:30-8:45 AM Welcoming Remarks: Temple University, and Global Water Alliance, Angelita Fasnacht-Cuellar, President
8:45-9:00 AM Christine Knapp, Director, Office of Sustainability, City of Philadelphia
9:00-9:35 AM Keynote Speaker: Thomas Slaymaker, Senior Statistics and Monitoring Specialist, UNICEF: “Achieving the SDG targets for drinking water, sanitation and hygiene”
9:35-10:25 AM Panel A: Evaluating WASH Efforts—Lessons Learned:
Moderator: Seung Lee, Save the Children
Panelists:
- An integrated WASH + nutrition program in Northern Mali, Lonna Shafritz, FHI 360
- Rural Water Point Sustainability in Zimbabwe, Christina J. Bowles, Dornsife School of Public Health at Drexel University, World Vision
- Marks of Failed and Successful Mechanized Borehole Systems in Zambia, Leah Popek, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University
10:25-10:45 AM Coffee Break and Poster/ Display Tables
10:45-11:35 AM Panel B: Promoting Behavior Change
Moderator: Liz Jordan, USAID
Panelists:
- New thinking about hygiene behavior change in the SDG era, Hanna Woodburn, Global Public-Private Partnership for Handwashing
- Community Based Environmental Health Promotion in Byiringiro Area Development Program, Mom TatahMentan, Drexel University Global Public Health Initiative, World Vision
- POU water treatment in rural Cambodia; Dr Heather Murphy, Temple University
11:35-12:35 PM Panel C: Technical Solutions:
Moderator: Vince Uhl, President, Uhl Associates, GWA Board Member
Panelists:
- Sustainable Piped Drinking Water in Liberia’s Secondary Cities, David Favazza, Tetra Tech
- Water Resources challenge in Kabul metropolitan Area”, Sayed Waliullah Aqili, Water Resources manager, Kabul, Afghanistan
- Rupert Whiting BEng, President, ClearGold Water Restoration Company Limited
- Water, Plants, Humanity and the Future, Matthew Lisle and Adrian Lievano, Everwaters, LLC
12:35-2:00 PM Lunch and Networking
Introduction by Dr Arun Deb, GWA Board member; India WASH expert
Keynote speaker: Mr. Ansuman Das, Executive Director, Sabuj Sangha, NGO in West Bengal, India: "School WASH Programs - Development and Implementation for Sustainability"
2:00-3:00 PM Panel D: Listening to Future Leaders
Moderator: Dr Christiaan Morssink, University of Pennsylvania
University and High School students will present their best WASH ideas looking toward the year 2030; Presentation of the GWA Student Competition prize
3:00-4:00 PM Panel E: Sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene for all!—how are we going to do that by 2030? We will ask the experts!
Moderator: Sasha Koo-Oshima, Director of US-China Clean Water Action Plan, Senior International Water Advisor, EPA Lead on International Water Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Interactive audience discussion with recognized international experts on the plans to meet the SDGs
Panelists: Vince Uhl, President Uhl Associates and GWA Board member; others TBA
4:00-4:15 PM Wrap-Up and Closing comments: Angelita Fasnacht-Cuellar, President, Global Water Alliance
4:20 PM Board buses to the reception
4:45-7:00 PM Reception at the historic Fairmount Waterworks, a water education center located on the Schuylkill River [return bus transportation provided]