Our relationship with water is rapidly changing and societies around the globe struggle with rising water, scarce water, and dirty water. The United Nations 2023 Water Conference (March 22-24) convenes in New York City to address the world’s stressing needs on water and goals for a sustainable future. After the conference, Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for International Water Affairs for the Kingdom of the Netherlands, will discuss with historian Russell Shorto the outcomes of this first in a generation UN Water Summit, why it matters for the world and what next steps—from the local to the global level—we can take towards a water secure world for all.

Light refreshments will be served. The program will include time for audience questions.

Henk Ovink was appointed by the Dutch Cabinet in 2015 as the first Special Envoy for International Water Affairs. He previously served on President Obama’s Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force and was both the Acting Director General of Spatial Planning and Water Affairs and the Director National Spatial Planning for the Netherlands.

Russell Shorto is the director of the New Amsterdam Project at the New-York Historical Society. He is the author, most recently, of Smalltime: A Story of My Family and the Mob (2021), and of six earlier books including the national bestseller The Island at the Center of the World (2004).