VACI 2016 and the Awards Ceremony “Protect Groundwater – The Treasure of Life”
On October 3, 2016, at Almaz Convention Center, Long Bien Vinhomes Riverside, NAWAPI held the 5th VACI workshop on “Managing trans-boundary waters: from policy to practice”.
As usual, VACI gathered a hundred of participants from various countries around the world. The presentations and reports were submitted from over 20 countries and territories.
VACI 2016
The workshop was divided into several sessions including water resources planning and supporting systems; Integrated water resources management in trans-boundary waters; The role of international laws in water cooperation; Water technology and innovation and Managing trans-boundary aquifers.
Speaking at the workshop, the representative of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment stressed the importance of transboundary water resources management at the global scale in the context of climate change and sea level rise. The representatives of NAWAPI shared useful knowledge on water resources planning in the Hong – Thai Binh River Basin.
A couple of modern monitoring technologies for water resources and meteorology were introduced at the workshop, which were considered as an effective tool to help water resource management. However, it still remains a long and complicated journey from the monitoring data obtained toward any warning and/or forecast which might be given.
The participants were introduced to a rainwater harvesting technology applicable to urban areas, and a community-based water treatment technology using RO membrane. They also had chance to visit the exhibition where many other technological products in water resource sector were displayed.
On this occasion, a representative of the IGPVN Project, Mr. Florian Jenn also had a brief presentation on the activities and initial results of the project in Ca Mau.
Mr. Florian Jenn talking about IGPVN project activities
Especially at the workshop, the Award Ceremony for the winners of the contest “Protect Groundwater – The Treasure of Life” took place at the witness of the MONRE representatives distinguished guests and all participants. Ms. Dorit Lehrack, the IGPVN Project Leader, briefly explained why such a contest was needed for groundwater protection. Further details on this Contest can be found here. This contest was launched by the IGPVN Project in cooperation with three Universities including University of Sciences, Vietnam National University in HCMC, University of Natural Resources and Environment in HCMC and Can Tho University. This is an important activity in the Awareness Raising component of the IGPVN project.
Awarding the winners
The winners of the contest include Green View Water – application of IT in groundwater communication by Huynh Ngoc Thai Anh and his friends from University of Can Tho, GEOUS – Collection of rain water for groundwater artificial recharge at household scale by Le Hoai Han and his friends from the University of Sciences, HCMC. Two other winners are Communication solutions for water resources protection through art products by Nguyen Ngoc Thanh and his colleagues and Designing intelligent planting system capable of self-irrigation for water saving in green urban areas by Le Anh Duc and his colleagues from Da Nang.
IGPVN team and the winners
With the success of the contest this year, IGPVN wishes to continue the contest as an useful channel to communicate the water issues to the community together with NAWAPI and the Youth Union of Vietnam in the coming year.