H2Know

Behind the Screens: How a Digital Water Museum is Built

How do you build a museum when the river flows across borders, the team spans continents, and the memories don’t fit inside walls? In this closing episode of the H2Know podcast, we go behind the screens to tell the story of how a digital museum can come to life. It's a rare, honest look at the collaboration, creativity, tension, and care that shape the digital experiment in collective memory-making. We ask: what does it mean to build a museum that anyone can visit, from anywhere? And finally, we look ahead: what’s next for water museums? What have we learned, and what must we carry forward? Tune in for the final episode of the H2Know podcast, and witness the making of something truly special!

Water Has Memory

What if every river bend, every cracked well, and every drop that once passed through our hands carried a story of joy, survival, or loss? In this episode of the H2Know, we step inside physical water museums, where memory, heritage, and storytelling come alive in real places. Our guest, Dr. Abdennabi El Mandour, Director of the Mohammed VI Museum for Water Civilization in Morocco, takes us inside the space where water’s past meets our present. He shares how the museum keeps Morocco’s deep relationship with water alive through stories and traditions that speak to who we are and what we risk losing. Dr. El Mandour shares how the museum connects Morocco’s rich water heritage to present challenges, inspiring visitors to reflect on the value of water and the urgency to protect it. Tune in to listen, reflect, and remember!

Why Do We Need Water Museums?

What comes to your mind when you hear about a “water museum”? Most people don’t know how to answer. And maybe that’s the point! In this episode of the H2Know, we begin with a simple question and end up somewhere far deeper. We speak to people from different walks of life, then sit down with the Global Network of Water Museums to ask: What does it mean to remember water? Whose stories are being forgotten? And how can museums become places that hold not just the past, but the hopes of communities living along rivers, lakes, and shorelines? This is an episode about memory, loss, belonging, and why the way we remember water can help shape a more just future. 🎧 Tune in Now! Note: The host on this episode is Omnia Shawkat

Water Diplomacy in the Public Eye

Water doesn’t stop at borders, and neither should the stories we tell about it! In this episode, we explore how media coverage can influence not just policies but public perception and global cooperation around shared waters. Featuring real stories from journalists on the ground, this episode reveals why what’s reported and how it is reported can make all the difference. 🎧 Tune in to discover how journalism is changing the flow of water diplomacy. Note: The host on this episode is Abebe Yirga

Digitalization Giving Voice to Our Rivers

Can rivers speak? In today’s digital age, they just might. In this thought-provoking episode, host Abebe Yirga explores how emerging technologies like AI, digital twins, and smart sensors are reshaping water diplomacy—not just behind closed doors, but on the ground and in real-time. Joining us are two visionary experts:  🔹Martina Klimes: Senior Manager/Advisor, Climate, Water, and Peace at SIWI and a member of the Scientific Programme Committee (SPC) of the World Water Week. 🔹Mariangel Garcia Andarcia: Research Group Leader for Water Futures Data & Analytics at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Tune in now to find out how digitalization is giving voice to our rivers! Note: The host on this episode is Abebe Yirga