Water Policy Group congratulates member Dr Olcay Ünver on his receipt of the 2023 International Water Resources Association (IWRA) Crystal Drop Award, given for his outstanding and impactful contributions to the global water sector.
The IWRA Crystal Drop Award is bestowed upon organisations or individuals in recognition of their laudable contributions to the improvement of the world’s water situation. Awarded only every three years, it represents the highest level of recognition by IWRA and is one of the most esteemed awards available to individuals within the global water community.
In addition to being a valued member of Water Policy Group, Dr Ünver is currently Professor of Practice at Environmental and Resource Management Programme; Senior Global Futures Scientist at Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory; and Adjunct Faculty at Melikian Center at Arizona State University. He is also Industry Fellow at Australian Rivers Institute and serves as senior advisor to Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations and UNESCO.
In his public service career spanning over three decades, he served as Vice-Chair of UN-Water, led FAO’s water programmes and activities, and UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Programme. Earlier, he was a distinguished Professor at Kent State University, Ohio. In his home country, Turkey, he was President of the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP), where he transformed an engineering project of dams, power plants and irrigation systems into a sustainable human development programme integrating social development, employment creation, gender equality and environmental sustainability with infrastructure investments, which earned an IWRA Millennum Award.
Fellow Water Policy Group member Tony Slatyer congratulated Dr Ünver on behalf of the Group, saying, “We are so pleased with this recognition of Olcay’s tireless work in global water affairs. He is both a total professional and an enthusiast for the cause of improved water outcomes everywhere. We also acknowledge and warmly thank Olcay for his commitment and contribution to our Global Water Policy Reports, the 2023 edition of which is about to be published.”
The winners will officially receive their awards at a celebration during the XVIII World Water Congress in Beijing, China (September 11-15, 2023). A second IWRA Crystal Drop Award will be presented to the Korea Water Resources Corporation (K-Water), for its contributions to global efforts in addressing water scarcity, promoting water security, and implementing efficient water management practices.
Water Policy Group
28 June 2023
Media enquiries: Trish Dalby | p.dalby@unsw.edu.au