Program

Around 200 interested people from ten countries worldwide took part in this online congress. We would particularly like to thank the speakers from four countries for their contributions to this very content-rich program. It was a valuable milestone on the way to the WCC in Leipzig 2022. The presentations and videos can be found here assigned to the speakers, the chat, the voting and the feedback results are available here too.

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9:30 AM
Opening Martin Buhl-Wagner, CEO Leipziger Messe GmbH

9:40 AM – 10:20 AM
Central Germany on its way to WCC 2022 In early summer 2022 the World Canals Conference will take place in Leipzig. This is a great honor and also a challenge for the region. Water is by far not the first thing people associate with Central Germany, but Corona added further challenges in 2020: for the organizers, the economy and tourism. But to say it with the words of our Chancellor Merkel: together we can do it!
The WCC 2022 – a homage to Saxony and Central Germany Dr. Frank Pfeil, State Secretrary, Saxon State Ministry for Regional Development
Swimming with Luther – challenges of the tourist sector Elke Witt, Anhalt-Dessau-Wittenberg World Heritage Region Download presentation
Far-reaching plans – brave decisions! Thies Schröder, Ferropolis GmbH Download presentation

short break 10:20 – 10:25 AM

10:25 AM – 11:15 AM
Culture & Nature on the waterfront in the Saxon Lake Districts The Saxon regions Lusatian Lakeland and Leipziger Neuseenland have developed greatly over the past years. Despite the pandemic over the last year and whether directly at the doorstep or a day trip away: the cultural and touristic offerings have expanded in a big way. But tourist infrastructure does not only mean a beach or a sailing port. Without an intact nature, restored attractive landscapes and a vibrant wildlife, water-related offers do not work. And though the combination of water and culture might have been invented at lake Constance in the far south of Germany – we Saxons are also able to pull that off!
The Lusatian Lakeland – a destination for culture and nature lovers Daniel Just, Lusatian Lakes Association of Saxony Download presentation
Watching wolves – Eldorado at the Bergener See Dr. Alexander Harter, nature conservation project Lusatian Lakes gGmbH Download presentation
Back to nature – the Werbeliner See Antje Brumm, Head of the Environment Agency, North Saxony District Download presentation
Revue at the open pit lake – cultural boom at the Schladitzer See Christoph Zwiener, Biedermeier Beach Project Manager Download video

10:25 AM – 11:15 AM

Culture & Nature on the waterfront in the Saxon Lake Districts
The Saxon regions Lusatian Lakeland and Leipziger Neuseenland have developed greatly over the past years. Despite the pandemic over the last year and whether directly at the doorstep or a day trip away: the cultural and touristic offerings have expanded in a big way.
But tourist infrastructure does not only mean a beach or a sailing port. Without an intact nature, restored attractive landscapes and a vibrant wildlife, water-related offers do not work. And though the combination of water and culture might have been invented at lake Constance in the far south of Germany – we Saxons are also able to pull that off!

The Lusatian Lakeland – a destination for culture and nature lovers
Daniel Just, Lusatian Lakes Association of Saxony

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Watching wolves – Eldorado at the Bergener See
Dr. Alexander Harter, nature conservation project Lusatian Lakes gGmbH

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Back to nature – the Werbeliner See
Antje Brumm, Head of the Environment Agency, North Saxony District

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Revue at the open pit lake – cultural boom at the Schladitzer See
Christoph Zwiener, Biedermeier Beach Project Manager

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short break 11:15 – 11:25 AM

11:25 AM – 12:45 PM
Water & City Water – which riverside city does not value this good? Water in the city is somewhat magical and has always been functioning as a magnet for living, working and leisure activities. It promotes our health and gives life. BLUE creates GREEN and inspires architects, artists and doctors. We get new insights into countries and cities worldwide and their new and creative use of water in the city. Or have you ever swam to work?
International Inspiration – Architecture meets water Thomas Vonier, International Union of Architects, FR / USA Download presentation
Water country Switzerland – the Swim City project Barbara Buser, construction office in situ, denkstatt sarl, CH Download presentation
Health and waters – keeping both in mind! Prof. Dr. Thomas Kistemann, University Hospital Bonn Download presentation
Blue creates health – the blue cities project Sebastien Chastin, Glasgow Caledonian University, UK

Break 12:45 – 1:45 PM

1:45 PM – 2:50 PM
Structural Change & Transformation With the energy transition, Germany has set itself a major goal: a fundamental change in energy supply – away from nuclear and fossil fuels towards renewable energies. As one of the few countries in the world to abandon the use of nuclear and coal energy, this transformation process creates significant changes in the energy sector, but also regarding society and economy. How does this structural change work? Which kind of experiences are being made by the Regions during the process of transformation? Can the journey also be seen as kind of a aspired destination?
From grey to green and blue – The transformation of an industrial city in the Ruhr area Sebastian Schlecht, City of Essen Download presentation
Structural change – embedding future lakes Benjamin Casper, Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier Download presentation
Inquiry – panel round Henry Graichen, Landrat Landkreis Leipzig Jörg Mühlberg, Saxon Agency for Structural Development Benjamin Casper, Zukunftsagentur Rheinisches Revier Sebastian Schlecht, City of Essen

Short Break 2:50 – 3:00 PM

3:00 PM – 3:25 PM
Infrastructure & Water Tourism The federal waterways outside the core network, the so-called secondary waterways, are rich in their tourism, ecological and transport logistic potential. In recent years, for example, recreational boating trips have become an important economic factor within the German touristic sector, with increases demands and needs. Environmental conservation and climate change are playing an increasingly important role; the same applies to automation und digitization. We take a look at the draft of the master plan of the nationwide recreational waterways and focus on the federal government's only secondary waterway in our region.
Off to the river? – workshop report from the recreational waterways master plan Gesa Schwoon, Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure Download presentation
Next to the water – a cycle path along the Saale-Elster Canal Christina Kleinert, Head of Department, Saalekreis District Download presentation

3:00 PM – 3:25 PM

Infrastructure & Water Tourism
The federal waterways outside the core network, the so-called secondary waterways, are rich in their tourism, ecological and transport logistic potential. In recent years, for example, recreational boating trips have become an important economic factor within the German touristic sector, with increases demands and needs. Environmental conservation and climate change are playing an increasingly important role; the same applies to automation und digitization.
We take a look at the draft of the master plan of the nationwide recreational waterways and focus on the federal government's only secondary waterway in our region.

Off to the river? – workshop report from the recreational waterways master plan
Gesa Schwoon, Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure

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Next to the water – a cycle path along the Saale-Elster Canal
Christina Kleinert, Head of Department, Saalekreis District

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3:25 PM – 3:45 PM
Looking forward The journey as the destination - which sounds like a general clause got a completely new meaning in 2020. On our way to the WCC 2020 in Leipzig the global pandemic struck in and opened completely new paths. The planned conference in Leipzig had to be postponed to 2022. After China in 2019, the United States will now be the hosts of the WCC in 2021. We keep our fingers crossed for Hagerstown and the restart for Leipzig in 2022!
Let's go – Hagerstown is calling for 2021 Video message from the USA Download video
WCC 2022 – we are getting ready Heiko Rosenthal, Mayor for Environment, Climate, Order and Sport of the City of Leipzig Download presentation

3:25 PM – 3:45 PM

Looking forward
The journey as the destination - which sounds like a general clause got a completely new meaning in 2020. On our way to the WCC 2020 in Leipzig the global pandemic struck in and opened completely new paths. The planned conference in Leipzig had to be postponed to 2022. After China in 2019, the United States will now be the hosts of the WCC in 2021.
We keep our fingers crossed for Hagerstown and the restart for Leipzig in 2022!

Let's go – Hagerstown is calling for 2021
Video message from the USA

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WCC 2022 – we are getting ready
Heiko Rosenthal, Mayor for Environment, Climate, Order and Sport of the City of Leipzig

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short break 10:20 – 10:25 AM

short break 11:15 – 11:25 AM

Break 12:45 – 1:45 PM

Short Break 2:50 – 3:00 PM

end around 4:00 PM