The year 2018 was marked by a severe drought in Iraq, a formerly water-rich country. The water crisis is complex, however, with multiple causes and the potential for future conflicts. A group of young Iraqi activists is trying to raise awareness about the issue.

Held from 6-8 April 2019 at the University of Sulaimani, the forum set out to address some of these challenges in the 21st century and to promote water as a tool for sustainable peace along the Euphrates and Tigris.

Transboundary water management in the Jordan River basin and the Blue Nile basin has historically been difficult. While water diplomacy surrounding the Jordan River is obstructed by decades of geopolitical conflicts between the riparians and unilateral infrastructure projects, cooperation over the Blue Nile has been hampered by conflicting views on water ownership and resource utilization for most of the 20th and 21st century.

What makes this particularly painful for that residents of Khuzestan is that the dams on the Karun are not only used for generating energy and irrigating agricultural land, they are also used to channel water via tunnels to other provinces, notably Isfahan in central Iran, which is politically more power. Many residents in Khuzestan feel that their water is being stolen.

The ultimate goal of the programme is to create a generation of young professionals who are dedicated to solving the current water problems by applying communication, collaboration and co-creation approaches that cut across political, practical and scientific domains.

In 2016, Fanack, Land Life Company (LLC) and the Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) initiated a pilot project to bring the innovative COCOON planting technology to Palestine

Wastewater reuse is among the main alternatives to overcome water scarcity challenges and to meet the current water needs

The Zayandehroud, which means ‘life-giving river’, is the largest river in central Iran and has traditionally been a major source of water for the country

The Zayandehroud Basin covers 41,500km2 in central Iran and includes three main rivers: Zayandehroud River, Pelasjan River and Samandegan River

As the Zayandehroud River has dried up, a 5,000-year-old civilization is on the verge of disappearing. The situation requires urgent action by every citizen in the basin as well as neighbouring basins.