Building on the eleven thematic sessions, the Forum unfolds across four days in Rome, bringing together High Level Panels, Euro-Med Talks and a wide range of workshops and special sessions organized with partners from across the Euro-Mediterranean region. This page presents the current programme, structured session by session as it stands today — a living document, still being finalized in the lead-up to the Forum.
Explore the Forum Programme
Tue, 29th Sept
High Level Panel
Special Session
Workshop
Euro-Med Talk
Plenary
Session 1
Session 2
Coastal wetlands: stories of balance between rivers, seas and people. Vulnerabilities and gentle mitigation strategies for today and tomorrow
Summary
Coastal wetlands face erosion, salinization and flooding. The workshop seeks shared methods and sustainable actions to restore balance between human and natural processes.
Panelists
Resilient Cities and Urban Water Systems: Advancing Urban Flood Risk Assessment and Disaster Resiliencein the Mediterranean
Summary
Bringing together advanced flood risk assessment methodologies (hydraulic modelling, monitoring, vulnerability mapping) with innovative solutions such as nature-based solutions (NbS), water-sensitive urban planning and design, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and smart technologies, this Special Session discusses how Mediterranean cities can build urban water resilience—transforming vulnerable zones into resilient ecosystems, while embedding these strategies into national climate policies.
Opening Remarks
Panelists
Water Credits - A Dialogue Among Front-Runners
Summary
Representatives from industry, finance, non-profit organisations and institutions will exchange perspectives on successful use cases and practical applications of water credits. The discussion will explore how this emerging paradigm can combine locally measurable impact with global liquidity.
Panelists
Session 3
CEO Water Summit - The Value of Water (T2)
Summary
Water is increasingly a strategic economic factor, not merely an environmental or utility issue —vagriculture alone absorbs some 70% of freshwater withdrawals. The panel confronts a central paradox: no economy can function without water, yet it remains chronically undervalued. This session brings together utilities, constructors and financiers to discuss how to accelerate investment and modernise infrastructure at scale.
Session I
Session I
Moderator/s
Panelists
Water Scarcity and Non-Conventional Water Resources (T1)
Summary
Water scarcity is a defining challenge of our century: global demand is projected to rise 20-30% by 2050, with the Mediterranean among the world’s most exposed basins.
The panel addresses non-conventional resources — reuse, desalination — as structural responses
to structural scarcity. The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Beyond Borders: Cooperation and Innovation for the Sustainable Management of Transboundary Waters
Summary
Transboundary water resources represent a strategic challenge and opportunity for international cooperation. Rivers, lakes, and aquifers that cross multiple countries require a shared approach to ensure equity, sustainability, and resilience in the face of growing pressures such as climate change, urbanization, and intensive exploitation. These resources are key to global water security and the socioeconomic stability of countries within the same river basin.
In this contest and through the experiences shared by local authorities, UN Agencies, Academia, Research Institutions and private sector, the session, organized by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), aims at raising awareness on transboundary water governance, cooperation, and development finance, focusing on identifying actionable entry points for integrating water considerations into policy, planning, and investments.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Session 4
CEO Water Summit — The Value of Water (T2)
Summary
Building on Session I, this panel widens the lens to industries where water is a critical but often overlooked dependency — from technology and finance to fashion, food and manufacturing.
Corporate leaders discuss how water moves from a compliance issue to a boardroom priority.
Session II
Session II
Moderator/s
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Water Scarcity and Non-Conventional Water Resources (T1)
Summary
Water scarcity is a defining challenge of our century: global demand is projected to rise 20-30% by 2050, with the Mediterranean among the world’s most exposed basins. The panel addresses non-conventional resources — reuse, desalination — as structural responses to structural scarcity.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Shaping the future of agriculture
Summary
This session explores the role of Italian agriculture in the sustainable management of water
resources, amid growing pressure on irrigation systems and food production. It addresses the
sector’s path toward greater efficiency, innovation and long-term resilience.
Opening Remarks
Moderator/s
Panelists
Water and Gender: The Challenge of Equality in Accessing Water Resources
Summary
Women and girls remain primarily responsible for water supply in many rural communities not connected to a water network, with impacts ranging from loss of educational opportunities to low participation in productive work and social life, to the risks associated with increased exposure to violence and deteriorating health.
In this contest and through the experiences shared by local authorities, UN Agencies, NGOs and private sector, the session, organized by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), aims at stimulating the discussion on the issue of women's and girls' physical and economic access to water resources, especially in contexts of climate and social crises.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Wed, 30th Sept
High Level Panel
Special Session
Workshop
Euro-Med Talk
Plenary
Session 1
The New European Water Vision (T3)
Summary
Fifty years into European water policy, from the Water Framework Directive to today, the EU faces a convergence of climate, growth and pollution pressures. The panel builds on the Letta and Draghi reports, which place water security at the core of European competitiveness.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Blue Finance and Blue Investments for Water (T4)
Summary
The Mediterranean faces a structural investment gap of USD 40-80 billion a year.
The panel contrasts the EU shore’s modernization needs — network losses, PFAS, digitalization — with the southern and eastern shore’s expansion needs, and the blue finance tools able to
bridge both. The Euro-Med Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Panelists
One Water II: Turning Regional Dialogue into Collective Action
Summary
Presentation of the consolidated outcomes of the ONE WATER regional consultation process across
the Maghreb, Mashreq and Western Balkans, translating three years of regional dialogue into shared
priorities and future cooperation.
Moderator/s
Panelists
The Arno Water Resilience Lab - A collective action for freshwater stewardship
Summary
The Arno Basin Water Resilience Lab is a cross-sector platform initiated by Kering and Conservation International alongside Etifor I Valuing Nature to address the river basin's vulnerability to droughts, floods, and pollution thanks to a nexus approach. Building from efforts already underway, the Lab is uniting businesses, public institutions, scientists, and local communities to advance an innovative framework for water management across the entire basin. The Lab is operating on four core pillars: science-based decision-making, cross-sector collaboration, targeted investments, and a joint public-private roadmap. At its operational core lies the deployment of Nature-based Solutions, such as wetland restoration. By combining these ecological measures with industrial innovation, public-private partnerships, and innovative financing models, the Lab aims to enhance territorial resilience against climate change - safeguarding both businesses and local communities.
Session 2
Blue Finance and Blue Investments for Water (T4)
Summary
The Mediterranean faces a structural investment gap of USD 40-80 billion a year.
The panel contrasts the EU shore’s modernisation needs — network losses, PFAS, digitalisation — with the southern and eastern shore’s expansion needs, and the blue finance tools able to bridge both.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
The New European Water Vision (T3)
Summary
Fifty years into European water policy, from the Water Framework Directive to today, the EU faces
a convergence of climate, growth and pollution pressures. The panel builds on the Letta and
Draghi reports, which place water security at the core of European competitiveness.
The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical lens, in dialogue
with practitioners and sector experts.
Panelists
Session 3
Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus (T5)
Summary
Global crises — climate, demographic shifts, conflict — cannot be addressed through siloed
sectoral approaches. The panel traces how Integrated Water Resources Management evolved into
the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus, a governance framework for interdependent resource systems.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Beyond Source2Sea Approach (T6)
Summary
Coastal and island areas concentrate both vulnerability and opportunity — climate change,
coastal erosion, groundwater salinisation and the growth of the blue economy.
The panel promotes integrated governance connecting the sea, water resources and local
communities beyond a river’s mouth.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Telling the Story of Water through Ethics, Art and Theatre
Summary
Water is not only a natural resource: it is a cultural, ethical and symbolic element that shapes societies,
identities and shared futures. This session explores how art, theatre, storytelling and public dialogue can
help raise awareness of water-related challenges and inspire collective responsibility.
Bringing together representatives from institutions, science, faith, culture and the arts, the panel will reflect
on new ways of communicating water issues beyond technical and policy frameworks. The discussion will be
complemented by the presentation of IN HERE / OUT THERE, a video work by artist Federica Belli, inviting
audiences to reconsider the relationship between land, sea and human perception.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Financing Water Resilience in the Mediterranean: Fostering Investment through Public Development Banks and Strategic Partnerships
Summary
“Financing Water Resilience in the Mediterranean: Fostering Investment through Public Development Banks and Strategic Partnerships” explores how public development banks, international financial institutions and strategic partners can work together to scale up investments in water resilience across the Mediterranean. The session will focus on financing solutions, partnerships and coordination mechanisms needed to address growing water challenges and support sustainable, climate-resilient infrastructure in the region.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Session 4
Beyond Source2Sea Approach (T6)
Summary
Coastal and island areas concentrate both vulnerability and opportunity — climate change, coastal erosion, groundwater salinisation and the growth of the blue economy. The panel promotes integrated governance connecting the sea, water resources and local communities beyond a river's mouth.
At the end of the session, the UNIDO-WTCA Global Call 2026 Award Ceremony, promoted by UNIDO ITPO Italy and the World Trade Centers Association, will take place.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus (T5)
Summary
Global crises — climate, demographic shifts, conflict — cannot be addressed through siloed
sectoral approaches. The panel traces how Integrated Water Resources Management evolved
into the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems Nexus, a governance framework for interdependent
resource systems. The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical
lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Panelists
The Performance Improvement Program for Drinking Water Networks in Southern Tunisia
Summary
The Performance Improvement Program (PAP), implemented by SONEDE, aims to sustainably improve the efficiency of drinking water networks and reduce water losses across seven districts: Kairouan, Kasserine, Sidi Bouzid, Gafsa, Gabès, Médenine and Tataouine.
The program is built around four complementary pillars:
- The Geographic Information System (GIS) strengthens and digitalizes knowledge of the water networks, supporting their management, sectorization and the identification of anomalies.
- Metering improves the measurement of water distributed and consumed through more efficient metering systems, helping to reduce apparent losses and improve network performance monitoring.
- Leak detection and investigation focus on identifying and promptly repairing physical water losses, using specialized equipment and strengthening the skills of Water Efficiency teams.
- Finally, pipeline rehabilitation provides a long-term solution by replacing or rehabilitating the most deteriorated sections of the network and improving its reliability.
Together, these four pillars contribute to preserving water resources, improving network efficiency and strengthening the quality and reliability of water services for citizens.
Panelists
Thu, 1st Oct
High Level Panel
Special Session
Workshop
Euro-Med Talk
Plenary
Session 1
Water Governance: Cities, Basin Authorities and Stakeholders Commitment (T9)
Summary
The Mediterranean is heating roughly 20% faster than the global average, turning water
governance into both a fault line and a strategic lever for stability. The panel addresses the
fragmentation of responsibility across cities, basin authorities and levels of government.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Extreme Events and Climate Change: Prevention and Management (T7)
Summary
The Mediterranean is warming faster than the global average, and the region faces
the simultaneous experience of scarcity and excess: recurrent droughts alongside increasingly
severe floods. The panel addresses integrated prevention and disaster-risk management across
the Maghreb, Mashreq and Balkans. The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more
technical and vertical lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
International Water Summit — Technology and Innovation for Resilience at the Service of Territories
Summary
The International Water Summit, organised by ANBI, brings together Italian institutions, private companies, research bodies and European agricultural associations to discuss technology and innovation for water resilience across territories.
Opening Remarks
Moderator/s
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Blue Knowledge for the Mediterranean. Research, Higher Education, Research Infrastructures and Scientific Diplomacy for Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation and Shared Prosperity.
Summary
The session will explore how research, higher education, research infrastructures and scientific diplomacy can strengthen Euro-Mediterranean cooperation and contribute to water security and climate resilience.
Opening Remarks by Institutional Representatives and Keynote Speakers
Keynote
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Session 2
Extreme Events and Climate Change: Prevention and Management (T7)
Summary
The Mediterranean is warming faster than the global average, and the region faces
the simultaneous experience of scarcity and excess: recurrent droughts alongside increasingly
severe floods. The panel addresses integrated prevention and disaster-risk management across
the Maghreb, Mashreq and Balkans.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Water Governance: Cities, Basin Authorities and Stakeholders Commitment (T9)
Summary
The Mediterranean is heating roughly 20% faster than the global average, turning water
governance into both a fault line and a strategic lever for stability. The panel addresses the
fragmentation of responsibility across cities, basin authorities and levels of government.
The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical lens, in dialogue
with practitioners and sector experts.
Panelists
Advancing EU Water Alignment - High-Level Ministerial Roundtable on the EU accession process and water resources governance in the Western Balkans
Summary
High-level ministerial roundtable bringing Balkan water and environment ministers into dialogue with EU
and Mediterranean partners on EU water alignment and regional cooperation.
Opening Remarks
Moderator/s
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Session 3
One Health, One Water (T8)
Summary
One Health, One Water” recognises that human, animal, ecosystem and water health are
functional mirrors of one another. The panel addresses how antimicrobial resistance, chemical
contamination and ageing infrastructure compound today’s water-related health threats.
Moderator/s
Panelists
A New Tech Blue Hope – Digital and AI: Water Innovation (T10)
Summary
Digital tools and AI offer real opportunities to reduce leaks, optimise networks
and anticipate droughts and floods — yet the digital sector is itself a fast-growing consumer
of water and energy.
The panel confronts this structural paradox at the heart of the sector’s technological promise.
The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical and vertical lens,
in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Hydrodiplomacy: Advancing the Right to Water for Peace and Stability (T11)
Summary
Transboundary waters account for roughly 60% of the world’s freshwater flows,
with more than three billion people living in shared river and lake basins.
The panel treats water as one of the few practical spaces where cooperation
can continue even amid political tension. The EuroMed Talk revisits this same
theme with a more technical and vertical lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
Water Across Generations: Young Leaders and Senior Experts Shaping the Future of Mediterranean Water
Summary
An interactive intergenerational dialogue bringing young water professionals and senior experts
together to shape a shared vision for the future of water in the Mediterranean.
Opening Remarks
Moderator/s
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Water energy food ecosystem Nexus
Summary
Water generates value well beyond the water sector itself, influencing industrial competitiveness, food security, the energy transition, and territorial protection. In this session, part of the journey of TEHA's eighth edition of the Valore Acqua Community, the new WEFE Integration Index will be presented: a measure of European countries' ability to preserve natural capital through the integrated and sustainable management of water, energy, food, and ecosystems.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Session 4
A New Tech Blue Hope – Digital and AI: Water Innovation (T10)
Summary
Digital tools and AI offer real opportunities to reduce leaks, optimise networks
and anticipate droughts and floods — yet the digital sector is itself a fast-growing consumer
of water and energy. The panel confronts this structural paradox at the heart of the sector’s
technological promise.
Moderator/s
Panelists
One Health, One Water (T8)
Summary
“One Health, One Water” recognises that human, animal, ecosystem and water health
are functional mirrors of one another. The panel addresses how antimicrobial resistance,
chemical contamination and ageing infrastructure compound today’s water-related
health threats. The EuroMed Talk revisits this same theme with a more technical
and vertical lens, in dialogue with practitioners and sector experts.
Moderator/s
Keynote
Panelists
Italy’s Partnership Actions and International Commitments under the WHO/UNECE Protocol on Water and Health
Summary
Policy-oriented multistakeholder dialogue on how Italy can progress on implementation of the Protocol on Water and Health
through coordinated national action, partnerships and international cooperation.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Closing Remarks
Fri, 2nd Oct
High Level Panel
Special Session
Workshop
Euro-Med Talk
Plenary
Single Session
Hydrodiplomacy: Advancing the Right to Water for Peace and Stability (T11)
Summary
Transboundary waters account for roughly 60% of the world’s freshwater flows,
with more than three billion people living in shared river and lake basins.
The panel treats water as one of the few practical spaces where cooperation can continue
even amid political tension.
Moderator/s
Panelists
Water, Land, and Infrastructure: Geologists and Engineers for Safety and Sustainability
Summary
This session examines the interactions between geology, engineering, and water resource management in the Mediterranean context, which is characterized by increasing climate and hydrogeological vulnerability. Technical, regulatory, and strategic solutions are presented to enhance territorial safety, protect groundwater resources, and adapt infrastructure to emerging climate scenarios.
Panelists
Mediterranean Cooperation in Research and Education - Institutional Perspectives on Water Resilience: the Role of Training, Research and Cooperation Projects
Summary
This side event will introduce MediCoRe, a collaborative network that brings together research
institutions, key stakeholders, and representatives from 17 Mediterranean countries. The network
addresses the pressing challenges facing the Mediterranean basin, with a particular focus on water
resources, climate resilience, and sustainable development. The Side Event aims to foster a broad
discussion on the role of joint research, innovation, and capacity-building initiatives in addressing
Mediterranean climate challenges, while strengthening institutional engagement and promoting crossborder
cooperation. It will provide a platform for discussing shared priorities, identifying opportunities for
collaboration, and advancing coordinated solutions to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the
Mediterranean region.
Opening Remarks
Moderator/s
Panelists
