Prof. Octávio Elísio Alves de Brito President of HidroEX 3 rd Symposium TASK, June 8th, 2011

1. 3° Symposium TASKThe Future of Contaminated SitesStrategies & Technologies Made in Germany“UNESCO – HIDROEX” Prof. OctávioElísio Alves de Brito President of HidroEX 3rd Symposium TASK, June 8th, 2011

2. WATER: Strategic resource • Around 1.2 billion people (20% of the world’s population) do not have access to drinkable water. According to the WHO, about 70% of all current medical care in the world is due to illnesses transmitted by water. • In a globalized world with a growing population and demand for natural resources, particularly water, it is essential to consider steps on the local, regional, and global levels.

3. WATER: Strategic resource • Brazil contains 12% of the freshwater on the planet and probably 25% of all known species of fish. • But, it has few water and sewage treatment systems and its sewers run into bodies of water without treatment. This results in degradation of the environment and losses in aquatic biodiversity. • 13 Brazilian hydrographic basins are located in Minas Gerais State

4. UNESCO • Recognizing freshwater is essential to life and to sustainable development, UNESCO supports many projects, some of which are long-term projects, such as the International Hydrological Program (IHP), which is in its 7th phase. • As part of the change in bringing water to the top of the international agenda, UNESCO initiated a process to create category II centres by the Members States. They organize their work in accordance with the decisions of the UNESCO general Council. • There are some 23 centres Category II. • HidroEX is one of those centres and one of only a few which is a true educational institution.

5. UNESCO-HIDROEX • International Centre for Education, Capacity Building and Applied Research in Water • A CATEGORY II CENTRE UNDER THE AUSPICES OF UNESCO • Linked to the State Secretariat of Science, Technology and Higher Education – SECTES StateofMINAS GERAIS - BRAZIL

6. Belo Horizonte Frutal Brasília, Rio de Janeiro São Paulo

7. FRUTAL – TRIÂNGULO MINEIRO • Basin of the Rio da Prata river • In Guarani aquifer, one of the largest underground water reserves in the world • Multiple use of water: • 15 dams for hydroelectricity • Sanitation • Industry and agriculture: sugar cane (ethanol and sugar), corn, soybeans, pasture, etc.

8. What we do • Education and professional training • Applied research in water, in conjunction with knowledge centers institutions and government agencies in the fields of environment, water and water resources, and with the society at large • Strong commitment to the sustainable development • Actions in Minas Gerais, Brazil, Latin America and Portuguese Speaking Countries.

9. EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM Core business of HidroEX, whose intention is to work in partnership with UNESCO IHE, and Brazilian universities to offer: • short courses (1 to 3 weeks courses) • executive workshops of a short duration (02 days) • training of practitioners /experts through short courses • masters, PhD and post-doc harmonized with research programs Key fields identified are • Integrated River Basin Management • Water Quality assessment • Sustainable sanitation

10. ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION • It assumes that all are responsible for sustainable water use and that the learning starts at school, at home, in the community, in the city we live, in the watershed where we live. • Presume intervention in the reality, a process linked to the everyday reality of the learner. • Educating for change requires solidarity and cooperation, integrating educators, students and community. • Education is completed by actual acts. • The Environmental education builds citizenship leading to a collective commitment to build an Environmental Management Program.

11. How to do: EDUCATION FOR WATERS IN BASIC EDUCATION • Teachers, students and community • Production of Didactic Material • Environmental recovery and sustainable management of basins • Pilot project: Frutal and the Frutal Micro-Basin • Pilot Project: municipalities in the Uberaba River basin • Participation in the Consortium of Municipalities for the Recovery of Rio Grande river

12. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS IN FRUTAL • It is important that HIDROEX develops meaningful activities in the environs of Frutal and success stories in good and sustainable water management are demonstrated in the immediate vicinity. From the local, national and international level.

13. NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS With main universities in Minas Gerais as: UEMG, UFOP, UFTM,UFMG And with reference Institutions as: • EMBRAPA - Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation • ANA - National Agency for Water • IGAM - Minas Gerais Institute for Management of Waters

14. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS: • UNESCO-IHE, • Institute for Water Education, • UNESCO Category I Centre , Delft – The Netherlands • CPLP – Community for the Portuguese Speaking Countries • Cousteau Foundation • International Hydrological Program for Latin America and the Caribbean (Montevideo)

15. PARTNERSHIP WITH TASK • How can we cooperate?

16. WORKPLAN 2011 (for HidroEx with support from UNESCO-IHE)

17. WORKPLAN - 2011 EDUCATION • Pilot Project in “Education for Waters” in Frutal/Uberaba. Associated to the Basin Recovery Plans • Cousteau Program for Environmental Education in Classroom. Tropicalization of the Didactic Material • Extend pilot experience to the Consortium of Municipalities for the Recovery of the Rio Grande • Implementation of Education Centre for Waters, in Uberaba

18. WORKPLAN 2011 • EDUCATION – Staff Development: HIDROEX, UEMG, Partners • Higher Education degree, supported by UNESCO-IHE • MsC Delft • 2 short courses in Frutal • 1 short course in Africa • Water Resources Management Course with the UFMG’s partnership • E-learning – University of Alberta in Brazil • “Ecological basis for sustainable development”

19. WORKPLAN 2011 • TRAINING OF PRACTIONERS/EXPERTS through short courses (IGAM/ANA – Watersheds Forum) • Watersheds Managers • Environmental Managers in Municipalities • Training of hydrometric technicians • E-learning using a network of videoconference rooms

20. WORKPLAN 2011 Work in Africa (CPLP / UNESCO-IHE) • Workshop to define common agenda ofcourses • Consortium of Project “A Global Water Campus in Mozambique”(IHE, University of Delft, University Eduardo Mondlane and Education for Waters of Mozambique Institute, HIDROEX)

21. WORKPLAN 2011 Latin America work (with UNESCO-LAC) • “IHP Strategies for Latin America and Caribbean” • Meeting of the Category II Centers from Latin American and Caribbean, Dominican Republic, June 2011

22. WORKPLAN 2011 SÃO FRANCISCO REVITALIZATION POLE – Pirapora • Pilot Project from the Três Marias Dam to the Rio das Velhas Border. • SchoolBoat CITY OF WATERS IMPLEMENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION • Opening of the first step in September, with UNESCO-IHP SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS ABOUT URBANS FLOODS • In the Science and Technology National Week SUCCESSFUL EXPERIENCIES IN EDUCATION FOR WATERS SEMINAR (UNESCO-LAC)

23. DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS IN FRUTAL • It is important that HIDROEX develops meaningful activities in the environs of Frutal and success stories in good and sustainable water management are demonstrate in the immediate vicinity. From the local national and international level.

24. Thank you!! Prof. Octávio Elísio Alves de Brito PresidentofHidroEX