Scan Magazine | Feature | World Water Week
The Stockholm Junior Water Prize finalists 2015.
Last year’s SJWP-winner Perry Alagappan and H.R.H. Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
The SJWP prize sculpture 2015.
Bright water ideas from young innovators around the world The prestigious Stockholm Junior Water Prize celebrates 20 years of international innovation and ideas by young talents. In August, finalists from 29 different countries arrive at World Water Week in Sweden. By Ellinor Thunberg | Photos: Jonas Borg
Water-related challenges and issues are in focus at the annual World Water Week, this year taking place on 28 August until 2 September. Experts, decision makers, innovators, practitioners and others meet to discuss and exchange ideas around the 2016 theme Water for Sustainable Growth.
20th Jubilee of Stockholm Junior Water Prize An increasingly popular part of the week is the Stockholm Junior Water Prize (SJWP), an international competition 22 | Issue 91 | August 2016
hosted by the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) that gathers imaginative young people from all over the world. The first edition took place in 1997 and was an instant success. “Many of the delegates at World Water Week wanted to have something similar in their home countries and that is how it started. We now celebrate 20 years as an international competition,” says Ania Andersch, manager of the Stockholm Junior Water Prize at SIWI.
Last year’s winner, Perry Alagappan from America, invented a novel renewable filter for heavy metal removal. He came up with the idea after visiting his grandparents in India a few years back, noticing how electronic waste contaminated the environment there.
Local schools play an important role Thousands of students from around the world compete each year on a local and national level. This year sees finalists from 29 different countries on all continents. The students are all aged between 15 and 20 and have not yet commenced university studies. Andersch wants to highlight the important work of local schools and teachers. “It can be hard for an