Education Key To Solve Water Issues

Professor Szöllösi-Nagy told the audience that consultancy assignments in developing countries were a big eye opener for him. He explains: “It was then, that I realised the obvious: it is water that needs to be fixed, otherwise developing countries and countries in transition will never have the chance to achieve what we now call sustainable development.

This obvious realisation made me join the UN, more precisely UNESCO, where I served for 20 years and nine days as the Secretary of the International Hydrological Programme and the Director of the Division of Water Sciences.

I also realised that without international cooperation and development, assistance in policy setting, education and building local water management and science capacities in the third world, as it was called back in the day, it would not be possible to ever build a fair and equitable world.”
He continues saying that he firmly believes water education is the key to solve water issues on a thirsty planet. “I would like to lead UNESCO-IHE to further improve its capabilities and capacities to help the needy.”

Professor Szöllösi-Nagy addressed the audience saying that in the coming weeks he would like to talk with everyone at the Institute and learn from every single individual what she or he is doing. “I want to understand in further detail how this magnificent organisation works and how its people are shaping it. I want to understand how its scientific departments and support units are working, how they are interacting in their daily work, serving the basic goals of the Institute.”