Aqua Republica: Serious Games for Water Education Training workshop and pilot use in schools in Buenos Aires, September 24th, 2015

Aqua Republic is a serious game developed by two UN agencies: UNEP-DHI Centre (United Nations Environment Programme) and UNDP Cap-Net Programme (United Nations Programme for Development).

This is accomplished through a virtual environment called “Aqua Republica”, where participants can experience decision-making in the management of a basin in an interactive and attractive way, and in doing so learn about connectivity and the importance of water resources, the challenges of sustainable development and the need for careful management. The game is an innovative and state of art tool designed for water education. Although the first target group in mind for the use of Aqua Republica are young students from secondary schools (14 – 17 years old), the game is also highly recommended as ice breaker for regular water related courses from professionals and as an introduction to IWRM and sustainable development.

The workshop in Buenos Aires, in collaboration with Universidad de San Andres and ESSARP, English Speaking Scholastic Association of the River Plate, was attended by 24 teachers representing 22 bilingual schools. The one-day workshop served to introduce teachers to water education, get them familiar to sustainable water management, and later experience how to play Aqua Republica.

Teachers are already playing the game with their students, and in the coming weeks a follow up process will continuity supporting them to enable a high level of use directly by the school’s students. A half a day workshop also took place at St. Andrew´s Scots School in Bueno Aires, where 30 students grades 10th and 11th played the game and share their experiences.

Aqua Republica is proving to be an attractive and fun game for youngster and adults to learn more on the challenges for sustainable water management and sustainable development at the river basin level. Are you ready to try it? Visit capnet.aquarepublica.com For more information please contact damian.indij@cap-net.org

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