Last week, on 16-20 March in Madrid, the IAHR Executive Committee (EC) held a productive week of strategic meetings and institutional activities, reinforcing its commitment to innovation and international cooperation in the water sector. 

The current Executive Committee is composed of the following members: President, Philippe Gourbesville, Vice President, Ioana Popescu, Vice President, Ana Maria da Silva, Vice President, Mohamed S. Ghidaoui, Secretary General, Emily Wang, Secretary General , Ramon Gutiérrez Serret, and IAHR Executive Director, Tom Soo.

The EC members discussed the overall management of IAHR as well as the strategic directions and highlight initiatives for the upcoming years. The meeting also addressed key actions and matters regarding IAHR Technical Divisions and Committees, publications, events, capacity building and partnerships, as well as everything related to the World Congress, the Road to Bari Framework, the workshops based on that framework, and future world congresses.

 Related Activities

Meeting with Madrid City Council, "the future of water in cities: needs and challenges"

On Monday, 16 March, the IAHR Executive Committee held a meeting with members of the Madrid City Council regarding the preparation and organization of the event "The future of water in cities: needs and challenges". The event will take place on 28 May, in Madrid, in partnership with the National Organising Committee of the 42nd IAHR World Congress and the Spanish Water Observatory of the Botín Foundation. The workshop will be a key preparatory milestone of the "Road to Bari" Global Framework and initiates the pathway towards a dedicated city track at the 2027 Congress.  

IAHR-Spain Water Conference on Innovation in the water sector: digitalization and Artificial Intelligence

On 17 March, IAHR and Spain Water organised the conference Innovation in the water sector: digitalization and Artificial Intelligence as well as the celebration of 25 years of IAHR presence in Spain. This event was celebrated at the Centre for Hydrographic Studies (CEDEX) in Madrid. The event brought together professionals, researchers, and institutional representatives to exchange experiences, challenges, and good practices on the use of digitalization, digital twins, and Artificial Inteligence. 

Committee Working Session: Accelerating IAHR’s strategy

On 18 March, a dedicated working session brought together IAHR Executive Committee members and key contributors to reflect on progress and define next steps to accelerate the implementation of IAHR’s strategy, mainly 4 Missions of IAHR's Strategic plan. Including: Fostering vibrant, expert communities; publishing best-in-field journals and cutting-edge knowledge products; convening leading events, educating and developing capacity; and building resilience by shaping cutting edge knowledge towards market and society. This collaborative session helped sharpen IAHR’s focus and set the stage for more dynamic engagement with the association’s global community in the lead-up to the 42st IAHR World Congress in Bari (28 June - 2 July 2027). 

Institutional visit to Canal de Isabel II

As part of the week’s agenda, IAHR representatives conducted an institutional visit to Canal de Isabel II on 18 March, strengthening ties with one of Spain’s leading public water utilities, which manages the entire water cycle across most of the Community of Madrid. During the visit, both organisations shared insights into their respective work and explored potential areas for collaboration. 

The discussed topics included:

• A technical reunion with Jaime Flores Cabeza, Deputy Director of Research & Development of Canal Isabel II and Antonio Lastra de la Rubia, Head of the Innovation Development Unit.

• Visit and explanation of the Arroyo Fresno Stormwater Retention Basin, led by Antonio Lastra de la Rubia.

• Canal de Isabel II-IAHR cooperation. 

This visit promoted collaboration between the IAHR and Canal de Isabel II, discussing, amongst other matters, the Canal de Isabel II's presence and participation at the IAHR World Congress in Bari in 2027, as well as enabling members of the Executive Committee to learn about the important and unique integrated water management system in the Community of Madrid