Page 9 - NYY Muscat Call 2022 April 24

Many view water as a source of conflict. Yet, through history, it has represented a unifying
factor, shaping cultural and social cohesion through centuries, and over millennia. This

clearly applied to much of Africa, South Asia, and the Middle East, where collaboration in

securing, managing, and dividing water resources were essential for any civilization to last
(the importance of water in various shapes has been equally visible elsewhere, see Appendix

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2). Our approach to water is wide-ranging and holistic, based on openness to realising
untapped opportunities, held back by hurdles which could be overcome by genuine effort to
achieve cross-border collaboration. The following form important building blocks:

i) Learn from the indigenous and traditional water management systems of our
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historical heritage , their links to diverse fields such as biology, soil management,
nutrition, health, furthered through novel collaborative ventures and kinds of
activities;

ii) Build on the expanding climate literacy to encompass the role of water, through
complementary measures spurring an ecosystem conducive to entrepreneurship and
innovation, where synergies are propelled between educators, investors, facilitators,
IP/patent specialists and angel networks, VCs, strategic investment arms of holding
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companies, insurance companies, and technology firms of the future ;

iii) The scope for teachers training and regenerating education systems is being
rethought taking helm for developing awareness of the universal importance of water,
and inspiring relevant behavioural change. Vocational training and skills development
in support of enhanced water, clean energy, and food production present a case in
point. These agendas span all societies and all social groups in the post Water and
Humanity 2022 context.

3.2 Reorienting the Technology Push

Connecting with the role of technology, the Muscat Call aims to shift attention from the
endless pursuit of what more technology can achieve, to what it ought to be used for. Such a

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Prof. Majid Labbaf Khaneiki, UNESCO Chair on Aflaj Studies (Archaeo-Hydrology), University of Nizwa.
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Besides the Aflaj, Oman, such heritage include "Kariz", Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan and
Turkmenistan, “Qanat”, Yemen, "Ain", Saudi Arabia, "Kahriz”, Iraq, "Kanerjing", China, "Foggara", Algeria,
"Khattara", Morocco, "Qanat Romoni", Syria and Jordan, "Mambo", Japan, "Suran-bawi", India, "Galleria",
Spain, "Inguttati", Sicily or Bottini, Siena, Italy, or Bisses, Vaalais, Switzerland.
10 Sponsored by Sven Olme, President & CEO of European-American Business Organization, and managed by
Mr. Lazslo Horwath, CEO Active Media, and Ms. Ingrid Andersson, Vice President of the Global Forum, the
Muscat Event featured a global entrepreneurship competition, in which 12 start-ups from around the world
were evaluated, with selected winners attaining one year’s mentoring opportunities by five venture capital
firms in Silicon Valley.

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