Since more than 30 years, Global Forum/ Shaping the Future is an annual, international, high-level, not-for-profit think-tank. It is dedicated to the main technological, economic, social, societal, political and ethical issues and challenges that affect the evolution of our digital society.

Often considered as “the Davos of ICT”, it gathers every year more than 250 international experts; national, regional and local policy makers, private and public companies and organizations, academics, NGOs… from more than thirty countries around the world.

Since 1992, the Global Forum is a connector of people and ideas and a catalyst for new thinking and projects across the globe.

Previous editions: 2019 Angers, France; 2018 Copenhagen, Denmark; 2017 Winnipeg, Canada; 2016 The Netherlands; 2015 Oulu, Finland; 2014 Geneva, Switzerland; 2013 Trieste, Italy; 2012 Stockholm Sweden; 2011 Brussels, Belgium; 2010 Washington DC, US; 2009 Bucharest, Romania; 2008 Global Athens, Greece;  2007 Venice, Italy; 2006 Paris, France / 2005 Brussels, Belgium / 2004 Malmö, Sweden / 2003 Rome, Italy / 2002 Washington, USA/ 2001 Newcastle, United-Kingdom/  2000 Sophia -Antipolis, France / 1999 Sophia-Antipolis, France / 1998, Paris, France / 1997 Sophia-Antipolis, France / Rome, Italy / 1996 New York/Washington/San Francisco/Silicon Valley, USA / 1995 Kyoto, Japan / 1994 Paris, France / 1993 Rome, Italy / 1992 Washington DC /New York, USA

Under the Strategic Partnership:

OPAL — Oman Society for Petroleum Services

OPAL started as a concept in 1998, whereby like-minded companies embarked on a vision to promote industry standards. OPAL is the first Society in Oman’s Petroleum Industry to be officially approved and registered in the Sultanate. On the 27th of October 2001, OPAL was officially approved under the regulations governing the formation of societies with the Ministry of Social Development as a non-profit organization. With more than 450 members, made up of Oil & Gas companies, including Producers & Operators, Contractors and Suppliers – large, medium and small, OPAL has become the Voice of the Industry.

ITEMS International 

Items International is an international consulting firm based in Paris, dedicated to Information & Communication Technologies strategies. ITEMS International is specialized in digital technologies and services: broadband, Internet, broadcast and software.

ITEMS proposes a various range of consulting assistance: Strategic studies, Market analysis, International benchmarks, Technological Analysis, Business plans, Due diligence, Roll out assistance.

Created in 1994, the company has a long experience in strategic and marketing consulting, networking, knowledge sharing and transfer. ITEMS has launched a strategic activity in smart grids and smart cities (including contactless, open data, e-Gov, mobility and smart energy). ITEMS operates with public and private institutions, including the European Commission and the French government. The different backgrounds and the versatility of our consultants lead to a unique company’s expertise in the areas of ICT strategies, project management, services and usages.

IKED International Organisation For Knowledge Economy and Enterprise Development, Sweden

IKED brings together in-depth expertise on various aspects of international economics, industrial organisation, technology, innovation, enterprise development, organisational change, spatial processes, institutional dynamics and knowledge/technology transfer. It addresses, e.g., the driving forces and consequences of new technologies, such as information and communications technology (ICT) and biotechnology, as well as the conditions shaping learning, innovation, entrepreneurship, dynamic enterprise development and a healthy, living environment.
Looking across traditional boundaries, IKED’s mission encompasses the broader economic & social implications related to the ascent of the knowledge economy. It combines analytical precision and a striving for maximum policy relevance, encompassing the role of key stakeholders.

Water and Humanity

“Water and Humanity” is a multistakeholder platform devised by a number of collaborating partners in Oman, the Middle East and the wider world in support of cross-border collaboration fueling and leveraging a series of joint projects and activities in support of sustainability.

Qualies – Organisation for Quality and Innovation Strategies, Oman

Operating at the heart of the Middle East, Qualies collaborates with a spectrum of multi-stakeholder partners in the establishment of an independent platform for cross-border learning and collaboration, promoting inclusion, supporting innovation and developing a series of significant project agendas aimed to realize untapped opportunities, capable of true value-generation in harmony with sustainability.Qualies prioritises collaborative action-oriented projects along with the offering of competences and services underpinning an inclusive, creative and sound culture and social development. It promotes enabling polices, a cleaner and greener environment, favourable conditions for newcomers and start-ups, championing curiosity to new ideas and solutions, along with investment and confidence in people through education and capacity-building awareness programs.

                                                                                                                                                                   Under the Strategic Partnership:

  October 2022, Monday 17, Tuesday 18 & Wednesday 19 

Muscat, OMAN

GLOBAL FORUM: TECHNOLOGY, SUSTAINABILITY AND  HUMANITY  

Global Forum and Water & Humanity 2022 has been organized under the strategic partnership of the Oman Society for Petroleum Services (OPAL).

Global Forum / Shaping the Future 2022 Speakers Program

Global Forum / Shaping the Future 2022 Presentation

Global Forum 2022 Speakers Profile  

SUNDAY OCTOBER 16th SUNSET RECEPTION 

MUSCAT HILLS RESORT 6:00pm – 8:00 pm

Hosted by

The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands & The Embassy of Switzerland  

 Photos Welcome Event

Video GF 2022 – 3 Days “Visual and caption credit to “OPAL – Oman Society for Petroleum Services”.

DAY 1 – October Monday 17^th, 2022

Video GF 2022 – Day 1 “Visual and caption credit to “OPAL – Oman Society for Petroleum Services”.

Photos Registration

Welcome Addresses [8:30 am – 9:00 am]

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Chair: Sylviane Toporkoff, Founder & President, Global Forum / Shaping the Future, France
Moderator: Ingrid Andersson, Vice-President Global Forum, Senior Expert, IKED,Sweden
AbdulRahman Al Yahyaei, Chief Executive Officer, OPAL, Oman
Muna Luqman, Founder, Food4Humanity and Co-Founder, Women in Solidarity Network, Yemen
HE Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
HE Thomas Oertle, Ambassador of Switzerland

Opening Session: Future Visions [9:00 am – 10:30 am]

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Video Opening Session Future Vision Visual and caption credit to “BSV Blockchain”.
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Chair: Abdul Rahman Al Yahyaei, Chief Executive Officer, OPAL, Oman
Moderator: Daniel Van Lerberghe, Founder & Director, InnoGage, Estonia
H.E. Dr. Ali Al Shidhani, Undersecretary for Communications and Information Technology at Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), Oman
Craig Wright, Chief Scientist, nChain, United-Kingdom Bitcoin as Electronic Cash and Decentralisation
Gilles Babinet, Co-president of the National Digital Council; Digital Champion, representing France at the European Commission for digital matters, France
Jean-Yves Le Gall, Former President CNES (French Space Agency), ESA Council (European Space Agency) and Arianespace, France Responding to Crises The Fundamental Role of Research and Innovation

S1: Wireless and Wireline: Evolving Infrastructures & Applications [10:30 am – 12:00 pm]

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Chair: John Giusti, Chief Regulatory Officer, GSMA Association, United Kingdom
Moderator: Hervé Rannou, President Items International, France Background Issues
Giovanna Zavettieri, Geography Researcher, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Italy GIS of Place, GIS of People. Pervasive Technologies and New Geographies of Mobility and Production
Jean-Yves Le Gall, Former President CNES (French Space Agency), ESA Council (European Space Agency) and Arianespace, France The Global Stakes of Space Policy
Nayef Alawadhi, Senior Technical Support and Operation Engineer, CITRA, Kuwait
Yaseen Al-Mulla, Director, Remote Sensing & Geographic Information System Research Center, SQU, Oman IoT in Remote Sensing
 
Lunch 12:00 pm – 1:30 pm

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Keynote Session: Digital and Human Worlds [1:30 pm – 2:30 pm]

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Chair: Alexandre Hedjazi, Senior Global Governance & Urban Sustainability Transition Expert, University of Geneva, Switzerland Digital and Human Worlds
Alfredo Ronchi, Secretary General, EC MEDICI Framework, Italy ArtCast4D Project
Armen Orujyan,Founding CEO, Foundation for Armenian Science and Technology (FAST), Armenia Breakthrough Innovations and Their Impact on Human Life
Michael Stankosky, Professor, Author, Scholar, Lecturer, and Editor-Emeritus, George Washington University, USA Cultural Anthropology of Digitalization & Globalization
Walid El Abed, Founder & CEO, Global Data Excellence, Switzerland Collaboration Between the Digital and Human Worlds: Importance of a Human Centered Approach

S2: Managing Disruptive Digital Technologies [2:30 pm – 4:00 pm]

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Session Report
Video S2 Managing Disruptive Digital Technologies Visual and caption credit to “BSV Blockchain”.
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Chair: Fatma Al Mukhaini, Robotic Process Automation Developer, Petroleum Development Oman (PDO), Oman Working with Digital Work Force
Moderator: Michael Stankosky, Professor, Author, Scholar, Lecturer, and Editor-Emeritus, George Washington University, USA
Craig Wright, Chief Scientist, nChain, United-Kingdom  Bitcoin, IPv6, and the Future of the Internet
Daniele Tumietto, Management, Business and Tax Consultant & Adjunct Professor, Politecnico di Milano (PoliMi), Link Campus & O.M. Beketov University, Italy Industrial IOT and SMEs
Halah Al Zadjali, Senior Executive of Governance, Policies & Governance Directorate, MTCIT, Oman The Promise and Pitfalls of Disruptive Digital Technologies
Latif Ladid,Chair IPV6 FORUM-UL, IEEE ComSoc IoT and Chair, Research Fellow University of Luxemburg, Luxemburg  IPv6 – Based Blockchain

Refreshments 4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

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S3: Designing Ethics for Artificial Intelligence and Effective Governance in a Complex World [4:30 pm – 6:00 pm]

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Chair: Rasha Al Abdali,Assistant Director General of Policies and Governance, Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology (MTCIT), Oman Future Landscape for AI Governance
Moderator: Geneviève Fieux-Castagnet, Ethics Officer, SNCF Group, France Ethics and Regulation For AI
Alessandro Guarino, Founder and CEO, StAG, Italy The European approach to AI regulation and its impact on global cyberspace. Could doing good in fact hurt Europe?
Fahd Batayneh, Senior Manager Stakeholder Engagement, Middle East ICANN, Jordan ICANN, Domain Names, and Legislation
Gilles Babinet, Co-president of the National Digital Council; Digital Champion, representing France at the European Commission for digital matters, France
Sarah Zhao,Partner, Rimon Law, USA/China New Development of China Cybersecurity Rules

S4: Public Health and Prevention / Digital Health Opportunities [4:30 pm – 6:00 pm] 

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Chair: Fahad Al Zadjali, Associate Professor and Vice Dean of Research, Sultan Qaboos University (SQU), Oman Change in Healthcare
Moderator: Mariane Cimino,CEO, Hoa-Ora; Consultant in Digital Health Transformation (ITG), France eHealth Solutions
Amir Johri, Environmental/ Public Health Professional, Ministry of Health, Oman Public Health & Digitalization
Gunnar Norstedt, Professor, Karolinska Institute, Sweden AI & Disease Prevention
Hashil Al Hatmi,Health Psychologist, Royal Hospital, Oman Digital Health & Behaviour Change 
Muhammad Ashkanani,Regional Director, W3C Gulf Cooperation Council, Kuwait The Challenges of Digital Accessibility in the Arab Region
Niki V. Santo, Co-Founder/CEO of Swaza – Oxygen Nanotechnology

 
GALA DINNER 8:00 pm to 10:30 pm

Video GF 2022 – Gala Dinner “Visual and caption credit to “OPAL – Oman Society for Petroleum Services”.

Photos

DAY 2 – October Tuesday 18^th, 2022

Video GF 2022 – Day 2 “Visual and caption credit to “OPAL – Oman Society for Petroleum Services”.

Keynote Opening Session Day 2 [8:45 am – 9:45 am]

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Moderator: Thomas Andersson, CEO, Organisation for Quality and Innovation Strategies (Qualies), President, Water & Humanity, Oman
Ajay Shukla, President World Class Scholars, UAE Sustainability & Technology Enabled Education
Saif Al Shaksy, President, Oman Water Society, Oman
Stéphane Grumbach, Senior Scientist, INRIA, France
 

S5: Sustainable Smart Cities, Regions & Communities & Tech for Good [9:45 am – 11:15 am]

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Session Report
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Moderator: Hugo Kerschot, Founder & Managing Director, Is- Practice, Belgium DUET – Digital Urban European Twins or How to Model Sustainable Cities
Alexandre Hedjazi, Senior Global Governance & Urban Sustainability Transition Expert, University of Geneva, Switzerland From Multi-faceted Crisis to Co-benefit production, Lessons from Post-Covid recovery in Geneva
Anixi Antonakoudi, Innovation Management, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Office, The Cyprus Institute, Cyprus Building Resilience of Natural Infrastructures & Communities Through Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Daniel Van Lerberghe, Director & Co-founder, InnoGage, Estonia Enhancing Culture & Fighting Climate Change in Urban Environments
Haitham Al Rawahi, Architect and Urban Planner, Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, Oman Sustainable Smart Cities
Marc Watum, Co-founder, Vertex Ecosystem, South Africa  Sustainable Smart Cities and Their Prevalence, Are Sustainable Smart, Cognitive Cities Objectively Desirable?
Nitya Karmakar, Professor School of Business, Le Cordon Bleu, Australia Role of ICT in Helping Sustainable Development and Conservation During COVID-19 Pandemic

Refreshments 11:15 am – 11:40 am
Photos 

S6: Digitalisation in Energy Transition & Water Dynamics [11:40 am – 1:10 pm] (parallel session)

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Moderator: Thomas Andersson, CEO, Organisation for Quality and Innovation Strategies (Qualies), President, Water & Humanity, Oman
Buthaina Al Wahibi, Research, Development and Innovation Director, Oman Wastewater Service company, Oman Energy Transition and Water Sustainability
Gérald Santucci, Ambassador INTEROP-VLab, France  IoT and the Smart Water Management Challenge
Ghalib Al Maamari, VP Low Carbon Molecules, OQ Alternative Energy, Oman Digitalization in Energy Transition and Water Management Applications from the Energy Sector
Khalfan Al Burtamani, Nama Group Advanced Metering Infrastructure Rollout Project
Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, General Manager of Anwar Almajed United at National Energy Centre, Oman
Paris Kokorotsikos, President & CEO, Euroconsultants SA, Greece Net Zero Strategies and roadmap for achieving CO2 emissions at water / waste companies A Greek case study that could serve as Generic example

S7: Cross-border Water Issues and Diplomacy [11:40 am – 1:10 pm] 

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Moderator: Stéphane Grumbach, Senior Scientist, INRIA, France
Etienne Monbaron, Head of Hydrology & Hydraulics Sector, Geneva State Water Protection Agency, Switzerland Tools for Transboundary Management of Water and Water Uses in the Greater Geneva
Fariz Ismailzade, Executive Vice Rector, ADA University, Azerbaijan Map
Jean-Eric Aubert, President, Université Internationale de la Mer, President of the French Foresight Society, France Cross Border Waters: Lessons from Success Stories
Majid Labbaf, Professor and UNESCO Chair, University of Nizwa, Oman Water War and Peace in the Middle East
Muna Luqman, Founder of the organisation Food4Humanity and Co-Founder of the Women in Solidarity Network, Yemen Community Based Approaches to Water Conflict Mitigation
 
Lunch 1:10 pm – 2:30 pm

S8: Framing Tools for Future Cross-Border Collaboration [2:30 pm– 4:00 pm] 
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Session Report
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Moderator: Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, CEO, Climate and Conservation Consortium, Sri Lanka Framing Tools for Future Cross Border Collaboration
Alexandre Hedjazi, Senior Global Governance & Urban Sustainability Transition Expert, University of Geneva, Switzerland Infrastructure Integration as Cross-boundary
Chloe Treger, Head of Research & Analysis, Dark Matter Labs, United-Kingdom Trees AI: Establishes Nature as an Investable Part of Urban Infrastructure
Marcela Brugnach, Research Professor, bc3 Bilbao, Spain The Grand Challenge of Getting Useful Knowledge Under A Changing Climate 
Roberto Ordonez, Managing Partner & Founder, Alkimya Catalyst, UAE

 
S9: Women in Tech and Women in Water [2:30 pm – 4:00 pm]

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Moderator: Dalia A. Badawi, Co-Founder, Save Faces Foundation, Innovation Luminary, Futurist, Egypt
Aasia Saail Khan, Director, Schazoo Zaka, Women’s Business Development Expert, Pakistan Women in E-Commerce
Hamed Al-Dhuhli, Research Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Oman Women in Agricultural Research
Marwa al Madouri, Senior Planning Engineer, Oman Water and Wastewater Services Company Women in Water
Mariane Cimino, CEO, Hoa-Ora; Consultant in Digital Health Transformation (ITG), France  Women in Tech and Women in Water

 
S10: Smart vs Nature Based Solutions [4:00 pm – 5.30 pm]

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Moderator: Marc Watum, CEO, Vertex Ecosystems, South Africa
Andile Khoza, CEO, Metsi, South Africa People, Infrastructure, and Technology
Bart Wubben, Founder and CEO, Muscat Landscaping, Oman Smart Solutions in Natural Landscapes
Etienne Monbaron, Head of Hydrology & Hydraulics Sector, Geneva State Water Protection Agency, Switzerland Geneva – PAV River Project: River Restoration as a Tool For Industrial Area Requalification
Hassan Al Raisi, Urban Planner, Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning, Oman
José Miguel Lameiras, Prof. University of Porto, Researcher, CIBIO, Portugal Science and Knowledge in the Development of NBS
Rowa Elzain, Managing Coordinator & Co-Founder, MCTspaceLab, Oman Role of Neighborhoods in Nature-Based-Solutions
 

S11: Digitalisation and Innovation for Heritage & Culture [4:00 pm – 5.30 pm]

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Moderator: Giovanna Zavettieri, Geography Researcher, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Italy Digitalisation and Innovation for Heritage & Culture
Abdullah Al Ghafri, Professor of the UNESCO Chair on Aflaj Studies-Archaeohydrology, University of Nizwa, Oman Aflaj Museum: Design and Concepts
Guido Ferilli, Professor, Cultural Economics, IULM, Milan, Italy Digitalisation and Innovation for Heritage & Culture 
Husni Al Abri, Repr. Misfat al Abriyeen Village, UNWTO best tourism village in the world, Oman Misfat Al Abreen Village / Video Presentation Misfat al Abreen
Valentina Vassallo, 4CH’ Project to Design a European Competence Centre for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage, Cyprus Towards a Competence Centre for the Conservation, Preservation and Valorization of Cultural Heritage
 
Traditional Omani Style Dinner
Presentation of Global Forum AI Ethics – A Call For Action at a Global Level
Results of the Global Innovation Start Up Competition (GI$CO) Awards
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DAY 3 – October Wednesday 19^th, 2022

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Youth, Education and Awareness – Creation: Valuing Water [8:45 am – 10:00 am]

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Moderator: Ingrid Andersson,Vice-President Global Forum, Senior Expert IKED, Sweden Engaging Children and Youth Activity was undertaken under “The Future of Water and Humanity”
Azimeh Jafari,Researcher, Monash University, Malaysia Workshops Valuing Water: Engaging Children and Youth
Guido Ferilli, Professor, IULM, Milan, Italy
Juliane Schillinger, Research Group Coordinator, World Youth Parliament for Water, The Netherlands Making Waves for Youth-Inclusive Global Development
Marc Watum, CEO, Vertex Ecosystems, South Africa & Andile Khoza,CEO, Metsi, South Africa Water Insecurity in Sub-Saharan Africa
Neeshad Shafi, Executive Director, Arab Youth Climate Movement, Qatar
Tilly Stroo, Founder, Wavemakers United, The Netherlands Video Introduction; Wavemakers

Visualising and Mobilising Action Defending the Global Commons [10:00 am – 11:30 am]

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Moderator: Jean-Eric Aubert, President, Université Internationale de la Mer, President of the French Foresight Society, France
Ali Al Maktoum, Director of Water Research Centre, SQU, Oman
José Miguel Lameiras, Professor, University of Porto, Portugal Climate Resilience: Key Actions
Juha Alatalo,Professor, Qatar University, Qatar Climate Change and Biodiversity Crisis: Where Do We Stand and The Way Forward?
Olof Lindén, Professor, Linnaeus University, Senior Advisor, World Maritime University, Sweden
Sanith de S. Wijeyeratne, CEO, Climate and Conservation Consortium, Sri Lanka Protecting our Biodiveristy and Forests

Refreshments 11:30 am – 11:50 am

The Role of Business and Stakeholder Engagement [11:50 am – 1:15 pm] 

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Chair: Sven Oehme, President & CEO, European-American Business Organization, USA
Aasia Saail Khan, Director, Schazoo Zaka, Women’s business development expert, Pakistan
Américo Mateus, Director, Transdisciplinary Research Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystems (TRIE), Portugal From Co-Creation to Co-Nature’ing
Pierre De Geest, Senior Geologist & Researcher, DEME Group, Belgium Dredging Environmental Marine Engineering
Wilfred Hoffman, CEO Axionomic, Co-founder Ambrac, The Netherlands Convergence of Technologies

A Comprehensive Approach to Mangroves and Wetlands Development [11:50 am – 1:15 pm] 

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Moderator: Olof Lindén, Professor, World Maritime University, Sweden
Anna Grichting, Senior Fellow University of Vermont, United States and Switzerland
Badar Al Busaidi, Environmental System Specialist, Environmental Authority, Oman Mangrove Project in Oman
François De Keuleneer, Environmental Director, DEME Group, Belgium A Vision For Oman Wetland Development 
Rahma Suleiman Al Nadhairia, Environmental Management Expert, Environmental Authority, Oman Green Environment Ideas
Wafa Al Maamari, CEO, Sustainability for Environmental Services & Consulting, Associate Expert, Qualies, Oman Planting in Oman with Water Saving Technology

Lunch 1:15pm – 2:30 pm

Circularity and Unconventional Water Ressources [2:30 pm – 4:00 pm] 

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Moderator: Américo Mateus, Director, Transdisciplinary Research Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation Ecosystems (TRIE), Portugal
Alireza Bazargan, Professor, University of Tehran, Consultant, UNDP, Iran
Ekkehard Holzbecher, Professor, Gutech, Oman
Patricia González,Country Manager, H2O Biofouling Solutions, Spain Finding a Balance to Protect the Environment From the Industry and at the Same Time Protect the Industry From the Environment
Rajamohan Natarajan, Professor, Sohar University, Oman Challenges in Oman
Wilfried Hoffman, CEO Axionomic, Co-founder Ambrac, the Netherlands
 

Water, Food and Energy Nexus [2:30 pm – 4:00 pm] 

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Moderator: Anna Grichting,Senior Fellow University of Vermont, United States and Switzerland
Bahram Taheri,Director at Nexus & HSE Center, Amirkabir University Technology Park, Iran
Hamed Al Dhuhli, Research Director, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources, Oman Water Management Challenges for Agricultural Production in Oman
Jumana Saleh, Professor, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
Muna Luqman, Founder of the organisation Food4Humanity and Co-Founder of the Women in Solidarity Network, Yemen Community Based Approaches to Water Conflict Mitigation ; Video
Talal Al Awadhi, Head of Geography Department, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
 

Concluding Session [4:00 pm – 5:00 pm]

Impressions of Oman

Conference Venue: W Hotel, Muscat