Workshops as part of the Alter Aqua Programme

A three-day capacity building workshop, about communicating and managing water, was organized in Malta between the 12^th and 14^th of November 2019. The workshop, which was then divided into three other workshops, was organised by the Global Water Partnership – Mediterranean (GWP-Med) and the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) and hosted by the Malta College of Arts, Sciences and Technology (MCAST).

These workshops are part of the Alter Aqua Programme (Non-Conventional Water Resources Programme in Malta) which commenced in the Maltese islands in 2011 and is currently in its 3rd phase (2019-2020). This Programme is designed and implemented by Global Water Partnership - Mediterranean (GWP-Med), in partnership with the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) and Coca-Cola in Malta (General Soft Drinks S.A. and The Coca-Cola-Cola in Malta (General Soft Drinks S.A. and The Coca-Cola Company), supported primarily by The Coca-Cola Foundation and co-funded by EWA.

The mentioned capacity building workshops were specifically addressed to youth, particularly to tertiary education students and young professionals of creative and technical backgrounds. The first day of the workshop was dedicated for those with media and communication background, the second day was dedicated to site visits, while the third day dedicated for people from the technical background such as engineering and architecture.

The participants had the opportunity to visit several sites related to water conservation in Malta, such as the Rinella Fort water cistern, which recently have been restored. This cistern can store no less than 96,000 gallons of rainwater. Another visit was to the Għajn Water Conservation Centre, and the Chadwick Lakes, where a €5million restoration project is underway.

The Programme seeks to mainstream Non-Conventional Water Resources (NCWR) and water-saving in Malta, including through technical applications, youth engagement, capacity building and awareness-raising, place youth at the forefront and promoting their employability in green/blue jobs.