WaL Newsletter #10: We are all WaL Ambassadors

Embracing our role as WaL Ambassadors

Drawing inspiration from the former Water Envoy’s ‘We Are All Water Ambassadors’ campaign, I’d like to introduce a slightly different perspective for this newsletter: ‘We Are All Water as Leverage Ambassadors’. This concept encourages us all to support the principles of Water as Leverage (WaL) in our work - and beyond.

The WaL Academy guidance, is a helpful resource for everyone as it clarifies what Water as Leverage is all about. Your own experiences and insights are equally important and, together, they will enhance our collective understanding. It is with great pleasure that we will soon share the full WaL guidance document.

As WaL marks its sixth year, we reflect on the impact and growth of this initiative. One of its earliest and most passionate advocates, our colleague Dennis van Peppen, has been instrumental in its success. Just as water flows to new places, so too do people. Dennis will soon be moving to the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) to take on the role of Director International. In this issue, he reflects on his journey with WaL and assures us that he will continue to be a WaL ambassador in his new role.

For those looking to engage more deeply with WaL, I would like to highlight an exciting opportunity in Nakuru. The recently published tender, entitled ‘Call for Action: Water as Leverage for a Resilient Sponge City’, is open for submissions until 7 October. I encourage you to consider submitting a proposal.

In addition, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the City Champion Challenge. This new initiative is a fantastic platform to spread the word about WaL. I urge you to invite partners and organisations that could become city champions to submit their proposals. The finalists will have the chance to present at the World Urban Forum, a significant opportunity for global exposure.

There’s a lot happening in the WaL community, with recent activities in cities like Bangkok, as well as significant events such as the World Water Forum in Bali and Stockholm International Water Week. We hope you find this newsletter both informative and inspiring as we continue advancing our Water as Leverage mission together.