Speakers at 'Our Water' Program Emphasize Rivers' Importance in Civilization

The "Our Water II" program, which promotes global civilization exchanges, began on Tuesday in Shanghai with a discussion on the waterfront as a new arena and its vibrancy.

Over 200 participants attended the event held at the former site of the Shanghai Chamber of Commerce, a heritage building on the north side of Suzhou Creek.

The program, which began at Suzhou Creek two years ago, has returned to Shanghai this year following stops at the Seine River last year and the Thames earlier this year.

Rivers can continue to facilitate dialogue between civilizations, particularly East and West, speakers at the program stressed.

Matt Burney, the British consul-general in Shanghai, said, "Rivers are still at the heart of city life today, connecting people, creating hybrid spaces, and giving us space for all to come today."

There are challenges, shared challenges, he stressed, and "dialogue provides a way, an opportunity to share ideas, particularly ideas on riverbank regeneration, climate adaptation and biodiversity."

Keynote speaker Lou Yongqi, president of Shanghai University of Engineering Science and an honorary doctor of the Royal College of Art, emphasized that design has the potential to convert technological advancements into equitable, life-centered solutions through innovation.

Designer, architect, and Memphis Design Movement co-founder Aldo Cibic asked several intriguing questions in his keynote speech: Who'll live in Venice? Why aren't Venice's waters clean? Can canal and lagoon vehicles be non-polluting? How many tourists can Venice hold? Are we ever going to see many children going to school again?

Citing scientist Jane da Mosto, Cibic argued, "We no longer have time to think about the future; the future lies in what we do today."

Panel discussions were themed on two topics: "Waterfront as a new arena: Converging global innovation chains and go-to-global strategies," which centered on the vital role rivers in Shanghai can play for Chinese enterprises ready to go global during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), and "Open-sourcing waterfront vibrancy: Co-creation and shared experience," on global waterfronts' transformation from spatial innovation to a new narrative where many cities rediscover waterfront as a source of energy.