At the invitation of the Center for Mediterranean Integration (CMI), and with the support of the GIZ, OSS took part in the 3rd edition of the regional youth workshop, which was held in Marrakech, from 24 to 28 March 2019.
This workshop brought together about 70 experts and professionals from the water sector, and in particular young researchers from around the Mediterranean, as well as various actors including women storytellers from the Maghreb.
The objective of this workshop was to connect young professionals with the seniors of the sector to discuss and exchange on the issue of water, at the heart of the problems related to instability in the Mediterranean region. It also aimed to better understand the complex links between water and migration, from a new perspective, described from young researchers.
On this occasion, the winners of the CMI Mediterranean Water Heroes Competition in 2018*, presented some water stories from Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia, developed as part of the project "Storytellers of the Maghreb, Actors of Change for Water Conservation" (linked to the CREM project implemented by OSS and funded by German cooperation (BMZ - GIZ)), as an effective tool to raise awareness and educate youth and the public about water conservation through oral tradition. They also presented the new story on water and migration that they wrote, with funding from the World Bank.
OSS and GIZ took the opportunity of this workshop to identify some possible new ways for collaboration with the research community, which could involve and expand the scope of storytelling.
*In 2018, the group of young storytellers won one of 4 awards in different categories, including in the category of "Youth Activism and Advocacy for Water and Nature-based Solutions" for their awareness-raising work.
**In 2019, the storytellers gave 6 performances during the Water Week in #Sbikha- #Kairouan and #Sidi_Bouzid from March 22 to 24, 2019.