The Dutch city Leeuwarden is recognized as ‘Innovating City’. On December 17 United Nations representative Helen Scott announced that Leeuwarden will participate into the UN Global Compact Cities Programme (UNGCP). The UNGCP recognizes cities across the world that offer a concentrated expertise in a particular subject. Together with Milwaukee, Leeuwarden is the only city in the programme that focuses on water technology.
For several years water technology is a key priority of the Dutch economic policy. Alderman of Leeuwarden Henk Deinum is proud to participate in the UN Global Compact Cities Programme. “The world faces many water challenges. In the Netherlands we create innovative solutions for these challenges. This is also in line with the recent agreements between the World Bank and the Netherlands. Through the programme and network of the United Nations the Dutch water knowledge and solutions are available to other countries’, says alderman Henk Deinum of the municipality of Leeuwarden.
The benefits are twofold according to Deinum. “The Dutch specialization on water technology offers economic opportunities, especially for the city of Leeuwarden. We think that the Netherlands are the European Water Technology Hub, with WaterCampus Leeuwarden as physical core. Over the years the city of Leeuwarden has welcomed many companies. Participating in the programme gives international exposure to WaterCampus Leeuwarden. Companies and organizations from all over the world can use our excellent research facilities and demonstration sites.”
WaterCampus Leeuwarden is the physical core of the Dutch water technology sector and has the ambition to play a sector uniting role for the rest of Europe as well. WaterCampus stimulates cooperation between (inter)national businesses, knowledge institutes and governments within the water technology sector, in order to create synergy for world class innovation, education and entrepreneurship. This strengthens the global position of the European water technology sector. Additionally, WaterCampus offers a unique research infrastructure, and is a meeting point for scientists and companies from all over Europe. The international cooperation organized and stimulated by WaterCampus Leeuwarden leads to knowledge, talent and entrepreneurship that contribute to solutions for global water problems.
