15 March 2012. In several parts of the world, water is a scarce resource due to population growth and climate change. As an attempt to approach the issue, the United Nations declared the Human Right to Water and Sanitation in July 2010 – without success, as we can state today. Which measures promise improvements to the situation, what shall be done to help the affected people effectively? These are the questions being discussed at the «Challenge the Best» 2012 Conference. The event will be organised by the University’s Student Union.

Among the guests are:

Maria Mutagamba, Minister of Water and Environment of the Republic of Uganda Robert Mardini, Vice Director-General of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)

Prof. Dr. Alexander Likhotal, President of Green Cross International and former Advisor to Mikhail Gorbachev

Dr. Amer Mokbel, Director Area Sales Gulf, WILO SE

Ian Johnson, Secretary-General of the “Club of Rome” and former Vice-President of the World Bank

Dr. François Münger, Head of the Global Water Initiatives Division of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooparation

Dieter Rothenberger, Head of the German government’s development agency “Gesellschaft für internationale Zusammenarbeit”

Prof. Dr. Christoph Stückelber, Founder of “Globethics.net” and the anti-corruption agency “Transparency”

From March 23rd to 25th, the 40 Student Participants from 14 different countries will take part in an intense three-day Preparation Seminar for the conference, led by experts in their fields. During the main event on the 26th of March, the Student Participants will take part in workshops in which no more than six students and one Honoured Guest will debate the question how our globalised society is supposed to handle water scarcity.

At the Public Panel Debate, moderated by BBC World News anchor Lucy Hockings, the students will discuss their approaches for actions with the Honoured Guests. The Panel Debate takes places on Monday, 26th of March 2012, 15.30 - 17.30, at the Audimax of the University of St.Gallen (Library Building).

Picture: Photoshop / Daniel Schönen