Communicating Water in Beirut - AMWAJ Forum 2026
Founded in 2016 in Amman, the AMWAJ Forum was held again in Barcelona in 2018. Planned for Beirut in 2020 but moved online due to COVID-19, AMWAJ will return to Beirut in October 2026 to mark its 10th anniversary.
The AMWAJ Forum provides an engaging platform focusing on communicating water-related solutions for the Mediterranean. It brings together entrepreneurs, media representatives, researchers and policymakers across the shores of the Mediterranean to engage in communication around water and its convergence with energy, waste, agriculture, innovation, cities, cultural heritage and cooperation. The forum mainly targets a new generation of an engaged community and seeks to empower them with the knowledge and skills to understand and communicate key water issues in the Mediterranean.
Objectives and Target Audiences
Check the objectives and target audiences for the AMWAJ Forum Beirut 2026.
- Provide a platform for water-related issues and solutions across the Mediterranean.
- Enable an innovative, dynamic and solution-oriented dialogue between research, policy, entrepreneurship, and media in the Mediterranean.
- Create transnational and transregional dialogue across the Mediterranean and open possibilities for multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships.
- Strengthen the role of media and journalism across the Mediterranean to effectively communicate water and sustainability challenges and solutions.
- Support innovative solutions and sustainable entrepreneurship through knowledge exchange and capacity-building
- Bridge the gap between science, industry, policymaking and society, and contribute to the development of new discourses and interventions in the domain of environmental sustainability.
- Provide young professionals, particularly journalists, entrepreneurs, and researchers, with a platform to present their work and networking opportunities with peers and relevant stakeholders.
- Engage the broader public in Lebanon through knowledge-sharing events and cultural happenings in public spaces across the country.
- Entrepreneurs and start-ups focused on sustainability.
- Media professionals and early-career journalists.
- Researchers and academics working on water-related issues.
- Policymakers from Mediterranean countries.
- Civil society organizations and activists engaged in environmental advocacy.
AMWAJ Forum Key Themes and Subtopics
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Water and Energy in the Mediterranean
Water and energy are deeply connected. Energy is required to pump, treat, and distribute water, while water is needed for power generation, especially in hydropower and cooling systems for thermal plants.
Water and Waste in the Mediterranean
Water and Agriculture in the Mediterranean
Farming is the largest consumer of water in the region, while climate change, population growth, and unsustainable practices threaten both water availability and food security.
Water and Cities in the Mediterranean
Over 60% of the Mediterranean population lives in cities, a percentage expected to increase, and likely to increase water demand. Many Mediterranean cities already face chronic water scarcity, relying on groundwater depletion and energy-intensive desalination.
Water and Cultural Heritage in the Mediterranean
AMWAJ Forum Activities and Program Structure
The AMWAJ Forum will include different activities as follows:
- Roundtables/panel discussions (Istafser استفسر -) for academics, policy makers, journalists, activists;
- Trainings (Istantej استنتج -) for early-career journalists, activists, and artists;
- Fairs/markets (Istasmer استثمر –) for civil society organisations, entrepreneurs/start-ups in Beirut to raise awareness and showcase their work;
- Film screenings/photo exhibitions (Istamta’a استمتع -) for artists, civil society organisations, journalists, students;
- Field visits Istakshef استكشف) –) for civil society organisations, farmers/farmers’ organisations, entrepreneurs/start-ups.
