Next year, between the 11th of September and the 15th of September, IWRA will be organising the XVIII World Water Congress, in Beijing, China.
This Congress is the largest event linking water researchers and policy practitioners in the world. With the theme of “Water for All: Harmony between Humans and Nature,” the XVIII World Water Congress will focus on the need to promote coordination and balance between the water needs of humans and nature.
To better understand the existing challenges and solutions around water management, IWRA was looking for twenty (20) rapporteurs (between the ages of 18 to 35) who help ensure the smooth running of Congress sessions and who are tasked with providing summary reports on the different Congress sessions, including regular and special sessions, high-level plenaries, and discussions throughout the week.
What Does It Mean To Be A Rapporteur?
Rapporteurs oversee reporting on the content of the Congress. This content will then be used to develop daily summaries that will feed the daily Newsletter of the Congress and also form the basis for the Congress Final Report. Rapporteurs are divided in three categories:
1. The Reporters Team
2. The Editors Team, and
3. The Newsletter Team
Rapporteurs will be allocated 2-3 sessions per day and will draft a summary during the sessions, using a template, and finish them on the same day. In addition, some reporters will also be asked to conduct short interviews of attendees, speakers, or VIPs when time allows. Some summaries and interviews will be picked by the Newsletter Team who will work closely with the Congress Secretariat to publish the daily newsletter the following morning. All members of the Rapporteur programme can also be social media ambassadors (tweet, post, interview their activities – can be discussed with their supervisors who can set up daily priorities). There will be four supervisors, half from the ISC and half from IWRA Executive Office. They are responsible for managing the rapporteurs’ Reporters Team, Editors Team, and Newsletter Team.
Application Guidelines
- Candidates should be between 18 and 35 years old and be proficient in English.
- Candidates should have good knowledge in at least one water topic and ideally enrolled in a university level water area of study.
- Candidates who study or work in China during the Congress period with the knowledge of Mandarin is desirable but not essential.
- Shortlisted candidates will be interviewed by IWRA Executive Office and the XVIII Congress Secretariat.
- Once selected, candidates will undergo dedicated online training by IWRA Executive Office to prepare them for their Rapporteur role at the Congress.
To apply, candidates should provide the following:
1. Candidates should send their application to congress@iwra.org (IWRA Executive Office) and copy WWC18th@163.com (XVIII Congress Secretariat), using the subject “Application Rapporteurs XVIII World Water Congress.”
2. The email body should be a short motivation letter (250 words), where the applicant can mention what category of rapporteur s/he is more interested in, as well as the applicant’s preferred sub-theme(s) in the Congress Thematic Framework.
3. The applicant should provide a short CV (2 pages) as well as one writing sample (article, paper) as a proof of their English proficiency.
4. A reference letter (one page) with letterhead, logo and signature.
All materials should be sent via email before December 31st , 2022, to congress@iwra.org and copy WWC18th@163.com.
Awards and Benefits
- Rapporteurs will receive free registration to the XVIII World Water Congress, including:
- Full access to the Congress
- Complementary lunches and dinners（including Gala Dinner）
- An invitation to join field trips within Beijing
- Rapporteurs will be given a 12-month IWRA Silver Membership
- Rapporteurs will receive a certificate recognising their contribution to the XVIII World Water Congress on the final day.
- Rapporteurs will be acknowledged in the Congress Report
Terms and Conditions
- Rapporteurs will not receive any form of remuneration from the Congress organisers
- Rapporteurs are responsible for their own Travel and accommodation expenses
- The selected participants should reflect a diverse geographical representation and gender balance
- Rapporteur candidates should be 18 years old before September 1st , 2023, and must have both a valid passport and any required visa for the period of travel
- Rapporteurs should be willing to be recorded and have their names, images, and videos used to promote both the Congress and IWRA
- Rapporteurs should waive all claims they may have against IWRA or any other person that may arise as a result of travel to and participation in the World Water Congress
Review Process
The IWRA Executive Office and Congress Secretariat will review the applications and notify the successful candidates by February 2023. Once selected, the candidates for Rapporteurs will be given a deadline by which to send confirmation of their ability to travel to the Congress, as well as evidence of a valid passport, or stay in China. After the confirmation is received by IWRA Executive Office and Congress Secretariat, selected rapporteurs can book their flights and accommodations to attend the Congress. A letter of invitation from the Congress organisers will be provided for any visa requirements. A few weeks before the Congress, all selected rapporteurs will receive a welcoming package including more detail on the roles and responsibilities and an online meeting will be organised to get to know the team and to answer any remaining questions.
We look forward to your applications by 31 December 2022!
