Programme in headlines

Plenary sessions
On Wednesday 29 September the conference will open with presentations by prominent figures. Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam, will welcome the participants. Dr. Nguyen Thai Lai, vice Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam and Wim Kuijken, Dutch Delta Programma Manager, will present the climate change policy of delta countries. Prof. Michael Oppenheimer of Princeton University, and the (vice) chair of the IPCC will inform the audience of the latest scientific insights on climate change, sea level rise, river run-off, storm surges and cyclones.

In the afternoon of Thursday 30 September the Delta Alliance will be launched in a plenary session. High level representatives from delta countries and cities will address the audience and sign the agreement.

The session on Friday 1 October includes an opening plenary, followed by three high level Round Table discussions and a closing plenary with the closing address by prof. Cees Veerman, chairman of the Dutch Delta Commission.

Parallel sessions
A number of parallel sessions are organized on Wednesday 29 September in the afternoon, on Thursday 30 September and in the morning of Friday 1 October.  How these parallel sessions are interconnected is shown in the diagram below. Further information on the parallel sessions can be found on the Conference Themes page.

PROGRAMME DIAGRAM (clickable image)

	Building and strengthening networks takes place in the centre. Here the main objectives are to establish, connect and re-enforce networks, both existing and new. On a national scale, the Water Mondiaal programme takes a central position. Regarding delta regions, the Delta Alliance is a key network. At city level, Connecting Delta Cities, associated with the C40, will play a major role.
	The first ring represents the Policy programme Deltas in Practice. The sessions are structured around five themes. They focus on best practices, exchanging experiences and innovative ideas. These sessions will also provide input for the discussions that take place in the centre.
	The second ring represents the Scientific programme Deltas in Depth. Presentations of scientific results, methodologies and innovations are organised around nine themes. Scientists and other experts discuss the latest scientific insights on a range of topics, indicated in the diagram.
	Whereas the above programme concentrates on specific themes, the sessions Challenges and solutions in the World Deltas, organised in the morning of Thursday 30 September, will take a closer look at challenges and solutions in several delta regions: climate change and sea level rise, impacts and policy responses per region.
	The third ring offers a wide variety of side events such as films, field trips, exhibitions and award ceremonies.
	The conference builds on the results and findings of the IPCC and of events such as the World Water Forum, Stockholm Water Week and COP15 and will provide new input in the following meetings of these institutions. This is represented by the arrows that flow in and out of the circle.