22 March 2023 -Dubai, UAE – On the occasion of World Water Day, the International Humanitarian City in Dubai, in collaboration with its community, organized a roundtable aimed at raising awareness of the need to ensure access to clean and safe water for all people around the world, and the efforts deployed by the international humanitarian community in this regard.
“Climate change is impacting the availability of safe water sources for millions of people around the world, and this underscores the urgent need for collaborative action to ensure access to clean and safe water for all,” said Giuseppe Saba, CEO of International Humanitarian City. ”We are proud to highlight today the impactful work of our member organizations in addressing this critical issue, and to encourage further cooperation in the humanitarian and development action, on the road to COP28,” he added.
The event brought together three leading water NGOs that are part of IHC community in Dubai, focusing on sustainable access to safe water for communities in need. Project Maji, Surge for Water and The Water Project each presented their respective missions and impact. The audience also heard directly from country teams on the ground in Kenya reporting on what safe water delivery looks like in real life, and the challenges ahead.
Sunil Lalvani, Founder & CEO, Project Maji, said: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to participate in the World Water Day event at the International Humanitarian City today. As the Founder and CEO of Project Maji, a safe water enterprise dedicated to delivering sustainable water solutions to underserved communities, I am deeply committed to advancing the cause of safe and clean water for all. This event presents an exceptional platform for collaboration and engagement with fellow professionals, experts, and organizations. I look forward to leveraging this opportunity to explore new partnerships, share our experiences and insights, and collectively contribute to tackling the global water crisis.”
Speaking about the Sustainable Development Goals, Marita Peters, Executive Director, Surge Middle East said “This World Water Day is a moment for all of us to unite and bring safe water to people in need around the globe. Right now, the world is seriously off track with meeting the UN Sustainable Development goal of bringing safe water to all by 2030. More than ever, we all need to do our part to accelerate change. We need to take action now.”
Adam Torrey, Regional Director, The Water Project, said: “World Water Day is a great opportunity each year to highlight the value of water and this year’s theme of being the change we want to see underscores the reality that we all have a role to play in solving the water crisis – everyone can do something. This roundtable, organized by IHC, is a good example of this and emphasizes the need for partnership and collaboration in meeting the basic needs of millions of people worldwide. As UAE continues to be a leader in engaging on environmental and climate issues, I believe that together we can all lead the way in addressing these justice issues.“
Project Maji, Surge for Water, and The Water Project are three international NGOs that are making a significant impact in the field of safe water delivery. Each organization brings unique expertise and experience to the table, and attendees of the event were able to learn from their successes and challenges.