It gives us great pleasure to invite you to attend the WRC Water Research, Development and Innovation Symposium as well as a question and answer session to be held from 25 to 27 September at the CSIR Convention Centre in Pretoria. This invitation is in recognition of the valuable contribution you have made in reporting water issues in South Africa.
About the WRC Water Research, Development and Innovation Symposium:
Following a very successful 40th anniversary conference held in 2011 and the WRC Technology Exhibition in 2012, the Water Research Commission (WRC) has partnered with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the Department of Water Affairs (DWA) to host the 2013 WRC Water Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) Symposium to acknowledge local scientific solutions that have had a global impact.
The focal point of this symposium, as expressed in the opening plenary topic, is “The struggle to the market: the fate of water innovation in a risk averse environment,” combines a symposium and technology exhibition into one event.
See the attached programme for the Symposium sessions that include the following topics:
- A public engagement session with parliamentarians
- Plenary session on the struggle to the market: the fate of innovation in a risk-averse environment
- Product and service solutions for economic development
- Scientific solutions for community empowerment
- Human capital development (HCD) solutions
- Sustainable development solutions
- Transformation through skills development
- Water-sensitive urban design
- The green village
- Climate change
- Water science solutions for informed policy and decision-making
- Wastewater and Water Reuse for industries
- The water-energy-food security nexus
- Plenary session on water cooperation: water-related collective action between industries and government
A special media Q and A session has also been arranged to give you a chance to engage with our senior officials and key political representatives on water and science-related issues linked to the topics of the Symposium.
Media Q and A Programme
Chairperson – TBC
Time: 18h30 to 19h00
Mr. Derek Hanekom, Minister of the Department of Science and Technology
Mr Dhesigen Naidoo, CEO Water Research Commission
Adv. Johnny De Lange, Chair of the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, Water and Environmental Affairs
RSVP to liza@confco.co.za
Media enquiries relating to the Symposium can be directed to:
WRC Marketing & Communications Manager, Mr Adriaan Taljaard: Cell: 082 388 3267 or e-mail: adriaant@wrc.org.za
WRC Stakeholder Liaison, Mrs Hlengiwe Cele: Cell: 083 266 9781 or e-mail: hlengiwec@wrc.org.za
DST Deputy Director: Media Liaison and Communication, Veronica Mohapeloa:
Cell: 082 882 3818 or email: Veronica.Mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
DWA Director, Communications Mr Sputnik Ratau, Cell: 082 874 2942 or email: RatauS@dwa.gov.za
