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High-Level Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme and 60 Years of UNESCO Water Sciences

The year 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) and 60 years of UNESCO’s commitment to water sciences. As UNESCO’s flagship programme in the field, the IHP has played a pivotal role in advancing scientific knowledge, technical innovation, and education in water resources management.

The central celebration was held on 11 June 2025 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, with pre-events on 10 June and side events on 12 and 13 June.

The Serbian delegation included:

· Prof. Dr Dejan Divac, Director of the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute

· Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun, Director of the UNESCO Category 2 Centre for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change (WSDAC)

· Prof. Dr Aleksandar Đukić, Director of the UNESCO Category 2 Centre – International Research and Training Centre on Urban Drainage (IRTCUD)

· Prof. Dr Jovan Despotović, President of the IHP National Committee for Serbia.

Prof. Dr Dejan Divac, Director of the Jaroslav Černi Water Institute, and Prof. Dr Jovan Despotović, President of the IHP National Committee for Serbia, during the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP) anniversary celebrations

The delegation of Serbian water experts were welcomed to Paris by H.E. Ms Roksanda Ninčić, Serbian Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO (pictured below, centre-right).

L-R above: prof. Dr Aleksandar Đukić (director UNESCO Category 2 Centre International Research and Training Centre on Urban Drainage IRTCUD), Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun (director UNESCO Category 2 for Water for Sustainable Development and Adaptation to Climate Change WSDAC), H.E. Ms Roksanda Ninčić ( Serbian Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO) and prof. Dr Jovan Despotović (President of the IHP National Committee for Serbia)

Serbian water professionals were also formally recognized for their longstanding contributions to the IHP, including:

· Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun, UNESCO Category 2 Centre WSDAC

· Prof. Dr Aleksandar Đukić, UNESCO Category 2 Centre IRTCUD

Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun, award of a plaque for long-standing contribution to the IHP L-R: Dr Abou Amani Director, Division of Water Sciences; Secretary, Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), Dr. Sarantuyaa Zandaryaa Programme Specialist at UNESCO’s Division of Water Sciences and the Secretariat of the Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme (IHP), Dr Brankica Majkić-Dursun (director WSDAC) and Prof. Dr. Helmuth Habersack, UNESCO Chair on “Integrated River Research and Management, coordinator of the UNESCO IHP “World´s Large Rivers Initiative”, and a Full Professor at the Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna (BOKU), Austria

The anniversary celebration was followed by a two-day technical symposium (12–13 June), which brought together international experts to engage in dialogue on global water science and explore strategies to address emerging water-related challenges.

Representatives of WSDAC participated side-events organized by Egypt delegation: From National Innovation to Regional Cooperation: Egypt’s Vision for Water – Centered Climate Action and Urban Water Security in a Chaning climate, and Water Management in Human Settlements in the Blakans and Global Megacites organized by C2C CIMWRM and C2C IRTCUD.

From National Innovation to Regional Cooperation: Egypt’s Vision for Water – Centered Climate Action

 

Urban Water Security in a Chaning climate: Water Management in Human Settlements in the Blakans and Global Megacites

Finally, WSDAC presented its contribution to IHP goals over the past five years through a monograph titled “Water is Life” (Ed. Prof. Dr. Helmuth Habersack), showcasing activities aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Monograph titled “Water is Life”

For additional information of the event and IHP plase visit the link:
50th anniversary of UNESCO Intergovernmental Hydrological Programme | UNESCO

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