On March 13, 2018, Schaduf Urban Green Solutions Middle East played a key role in the “Young Mediterranean Water Heroes” Youth Workshop, a major event for World Water Day 2018 held at the Anafora Conference Center in Egypt. The workshop, a collaborative effort by the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI) and the World Bank Group, focused on Nature-based Solutions (NbS) for a water-secure Mediterranean.
The Lecture: “NbS and Water in Mediterranean Cities”
Schaduf contributed a presentation titled “NbS and Water in Mediterranean Cities”. This engagement was featured during Session 3: Nature-based Solutions and the Water-Food-Energy-Ecosystems Nexus.
The presentation likely detailed how Schaduf’s core offerings—such as green walls, urban farming systems, and water-wise landscape design—function as effective Nature-based Solutions in the challenging urban environments of the Mediterranean. NbS are defined as actions that protect, sustainably manage, and restore ecosystems to address societal challenges effectively while providing well-being and biodiversity benefits.
Key areas addressed by Schaduf’s topic included:
- Urban Water Security: Demonstrating how green infrastructure can naturally improve water management, quality, and consumption within cities.
- Strengthening the Nexus: Highlighting the interconnected benefits of using NbS to enhance the regional relationship between water, food, energy, and ecosystems.
- Green Entrepreneurship: Positioning NbS as a valuable economic opportunity for youth, capable of creating green jobs and contributing to regional resilience.
A Platform for Youth and Innovation
The workshop’s overall objective was to build capacity among and amplify the voice of young Mediterranean water experts and activists who were selected through the CMI Mediterranean Water Heroes contest. Schaduf’s presentation provided a real-world example of how innovative ideas for water management are being successfully implemented, shared, and scaled in the region.
The session concluded with a Green Entrepreneurship Activity focused on “Nature-Based Solutions for Water: a Green Entrepreneurship Opportunity for Mediterranean Youth”. Schaduf’s participation, alongside organizations like CIHEAM and the Switch-Med initiative, underscored the vital role of the private sector in developing and implementing Nature-based Solutions that pave the way for a more water-secure and sustainable future for the Mediterranean.