Monday, March 23, 2015, was held, at the headquarters of the Italian Geographical Society in Villa Celimontana, the Conference SaveWaterReuseWater: The ACCBAT Strategic Project organized by ICU – Institute for University Cooperation Onlus, in collaboration with the Council for Agricultural Research and Economics (CRA – INEA), on the occasion of World Water Day 2015, that has been established by the United Nations and with the patronage of Expo Milano 2015.
The President of the Foreign Relations Committee of the Senate, Pier Ferdinando Casini, the Diplomatic Advisor to the Ministry of Economic Development, Mario Cospito, the Charge d’Affaires of Embassy of Lebanon in Italy Karim Khalil, and delegations of the Ministries of Agriculture of Jordan, Lebanon and Tunisia, ICU’s partners in the international project ACCBAT (Adaptation to Climate Change through improved water demand management in irrigated agriculture by introduction of new technologies and best agricultural practices) attended the event.
In particular, the President Casini highlighted how water is a fundamental issue such as oil, more than oil and how we need a democratic commitment and new projects run by NGOs in the Mediterranean in order to maintain the balanced relation between water and its potential use. The President expressed appreciation for the ACCBAT Project and for the interinstitutional dialogue that it promotes and that can contribute to political stability in the Mediterranean.
The Conference was the second one held in the framework of the ACCBAT project. The first one was held last October in Nabeul, Tunisia with the aim to deepen and strengthen cooperation between the Mediterranean countries and to share project activities’ advancements in the involved countries.
After the opening session, an entire session was devoted to the project activities advancements in the three countries. A discussion on the management of treated wastewater in the Mediterranean countries concluded the event.
During the day, the Representative of the Autonomous Region of Sardinia, managing authority of the ENPI CBC Med Programme funding the ACCBAT Project, the Director General of DG Rural Development of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forestry Giuseppe Cacopardi who brought greetings from the Italian Minister Martina and sub Commissioner of the CRA – INEA, Michele Pisante, attended the conference.
