Delta Conference 2019 to be held in Zeelandhallen in Goes
The venue for the tenth National Delta Conference, to be held on Thursday, 14 November 2019, will be the Zeelandhallen multi-purpose hall in the city of Goes. This year’s edition is expected to attract the same audience as for previous conferences, i.e., some 1500 delegates. Everyone who is involved in and interested in the Delta Programme is welcome to attend: NGOs, the business community, knowledge institutes, and government bodies.
‘In terms of the Delta Programme, the watery Southwest Delta is an important area. During my first three months as the Delta Programme Commissioner, I have already visited this area three times. All the Delta Programme taskings converge here quite manifestly: flood risk management, freshwater supply, and spatial adaptation. The changing climate and more extreme weather conditions pose major challenges, especially in this region. With the disastrous flood of 1953 in mind, disaster prevention has become second nature to this region. But it is also quite active in tackling the freshwater supply tasking. A fine case in point is the Zeeland Testing Ground, which is exploring innovative solutions to self-sufficiency, the freshwater supply, and combating salinisation. So, I am proud to announce that the tenth National Delta Conference will be held on Thursday, 14 November 2019 in the Zeelandhallen in the city of Goes, Delta Programme Commissioner Peter Glas stated today, upon the announcement of the venue for the next annual National Delta Conference.
Mayor Margo Mulder of host city Goes already bids all the participants a warm welcome: ‘It is wonderful that Goes will be hosting this important Delta Conference. We are a city of meeting; please be welcome in our beautiful province of Zeeland on 14 November!’
The substantive plenary opening session will be followed by an afternoon of interactive parallel sessions on drought and salinisation, sea level rise, the Delta Programme in urban areas, and spatial adaptation in progress. Just like last year, several Delta theatres will feature smaller sessions and presentations. Furthermore, as in previous years, the conference will comprise a Delta Parade featuring booths representing organisations and programmes associated with the Delta Programme. Throughout the day, the Delta Parade will offer plenty of time and opportunities for an informal sharing of knowledge and exchange of experiences.
Member of the Provincial Executive Ben de Reu is pleased that the Delta Conference will be hosted by the historic city of Goes: ‘From both a geographic and a historical perspective, the province of Zeeland and water are inextricably bound up with one another. That is why we are very happy to have the 2019 Delta Conference come to Goes.’
Water board council chair Toine Poppelaars also rejoices at the Delta Conference venue. ‘I am quite honoured with the focus on the Southwest Delta, and especially the province of Zeeland. This is where specific water-related issues converge, such as flood risk management, freshwater supply, and climate adaptation. A unique delta, from a global perspective as well! We are anxious to present this to the participants of the Delta Conference.’
The day’s schedule will be announced in September. This is also when registration will open.