TEHRAN — Tehran University will host the “International Conference on Water and Environment in the New Millennium: Education and Capacity Building” on December 3 to 5.

The conference is co-organized with German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), Dutch and German universities as well, Khabaronline reported. 

The event which is comprising of various workshops and panels is hoped to help improve Iran’s water and environmental status, the conference secretary Masoumeh Malek said.

The workshops will be specifically focused on developing a new curriculum for training water policy makers with cross-disciplinary knowledge in the fields of hydrology (surface and groundwater), water engineering, water law, water and environment economics, socio-hydrology and eco-hydrology, Malek explained.

“We believe educating the public and policy makers about water would help resolve great deal of [water-related] problems,” she said, stating, “Raising public awareness about [efficient] water usage and introducing water-related issues into school curriculums is what we need to tackle water shortage.”

The media can also play a key role in addressing the water issues as well, she added.

According to ISNA news agency, the conference is also revolving around issues such as adapting to climate change, stepping towards sustainable development, recycling water, informing the public about the concept of virtual water, managing trans-boundary water resources, and learning from European Union drought management projects. 

Experts from the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Afghanistan, Nigeria, China, Tunisia, Pakistan, and Iran will attend the event and deliver speeches. 

MQ/MG

Zayandeh Rud, Isfahan province, affected by extreme drought

(photo by Zahra Bagheban/ IRNA)