The Plurality of WaterS: The BRIDGES Cologne (UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES Coalition) Policy Insights no.4 examines the limitations of the current global approach to water management and shows how the social and cultural dimensions of waters need to be considered.
In an era of rapid change, growing inequalities, and complex global challenges, collaboration between science, policy, and society, rooted in a deep understanding of the plurality of human experiences, is becoming increasingly crucial. In this context, UNESCO-MOST BRIDGES serves as a dedicated coalition committed to revolutionising how knowledge is mobilised for inclusive social development and planetary wellbeing. For organisations committed to equity, innovation, and impact, joining the BRIDGES Coalition is a meaningful move.
It’s a blustery Thursday late afternoon when we arrive at the West Pier of Dún Laoghaire Harbour. The wind cuts sharply across the quay, and low, heavy clouds threaten rain at any moment. We glance at each other more than once, wondering whether Ed—the man behind Goat Boat Tours—might call it off. To be fair, we wouldn’t blame him.
Looking back at the Bridging Futures General Assembly event and more specifically, in this account, the inaugural Bridging Futures Lecture. At the heart of the programme was a deeply moving and widely praised lecture by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Phan Thị Kim Phúc. Known internationally as the ‘Napalm Girl’ from the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of the Vietnam War, Kim has since become a powerful advocate for peace, reconciliation, and forgiveness.
This article by Samuel Ombeni, Refugee Youth Advocate for Sustainable Development and Humanitarian Agriculture, published by coalition members, African Youth Integrated For Socio-Economic Development (AYISD), provides vision of a community-led response to the escalating food crisis in Uganda’s Nakivale Refugee Settlement. Following the withdrawal of international food aid, this model presents a viable alternative to long-term dependency. By championing regenerative, high-impact ecological techniques, the model highlights that food security is achievable through the simultaneous restoration of the land and the livelihoods of those who tend it.
