Last week the Wetskills Foundation visited Omani partners to prepare the first edition of the SunGlacier Challenge. Coming five year Sultan Qaboos University and Wetskills Foundation will organise the so-called SunGlacier Challenge yearly. This programme, inspired by climate artist and Wetskills Ambassador Ap Verheggen, challenges teams of young talents (both students and/or Young Professioanals) to build their own device to get water out of the air by solar panels (picture right: proposed site): link to Challenge page. The main aim is to get significant progress with this method of water supply coming five years.
The first edition of this SunGlacier programme will be from 18-22 March (during World Water Day). At the moment 7 teams from 5 different countries have applied for this programme. The organisation is polishing the programme with partners as Middle East Desalination Research Center, Petroleum Development Oman, SQU Water research Center en the Embassay of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in Oman.
Wetskills Foundation built-up a good relation with Sultan Qaboos University since 2012. In January that year, a Wetskills Water Challenge was organized in the framework of the Royal visit of the Dutch Queen Beatrix and Crown prince and princess Willem-Alexander and Maxima to Sultan Qaboos of Oman. Last years various Omani participants joined Wetskills events in The Netherlands. During last week’s mission Wetskills Foundation and Sultan Qaboos University (agricultural department) agreed the five years SunGlacier Challenge programme, initiation of new Wetskills Water Challenges and potential WetsNext projects. Also Omani students and Young Professionals will be stimulated to join other Wetskills events worldwide.
For more information contact Johan Oost: johan.oost@wetskills.com.
Meeting PDO at PDO Knowledge Center (picture middle: Power Tower in the exhibition)
Visit to Middle East Desalination Research Center
Sultan Qaboos University and visit to Water Research Center
