GCI Programme: Water for Life and Peace
Green Cross to Promote Sustainable Access to Water, Indigenous Rights and Religious Leaders’ Engagement on World Water Day (March 22nd)
20 March
- Event: Great Rivers and Climate Change – Initiatives for the Future of Great Rivers (IFGR)
- Time: 12:00 to 12:30
- Location: Stand SUEZ (E27A)
- Featured Speaker: Marie-Laure Vercambre – Water for Life and Peace Programme Director for Green Cross International, and member of the IFGR
- Event: Green Drop Award for Best Documentary of the Green Film Festival
- Special Edition of Green Cross Italy and Venice Mostra’s Green Drop Initiative
- Time: 20:30
- Location: Cine Brasília
- Featured Speaker: Elio Pacilio – President of Green Cross Italy
21 March
- Event: Successful Negotiation and Implementation of Global, Regional and Bilateral Transboundary Cooperation Agreements
- Time: 09:00 to 10:30
- Location: Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center, Room 28
- Featured Speaker: Marisa Arienza – President of Green Cross Argentina
22 March
- Event: Alternative Forum’s Religious Gathering
- Time: 09:00 to 12:00
- Location: Pavilhão Parque da Cidade
- Featured Speaker: Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp – President of Green Cross Netherlands
- Event: Learning from Traditions: How Water Heritage Can Guide Our Water Future
- Time: 11:00 to 12:30
- Location: Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center, Room ST2
- Featured Speaker: Sônia Guajajara – Coordinator of the Articulation of the Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB), and candidate for co-presidency of the Republic of Brazil
- Event: Water and Spirituality
- Time: 14:30 to 18:00
- Location: Planalto Auditorium
- Featured Speaker: Rabbi Awraham Soetendorp – President of Green Cross Netherlands
- Event: Citizen’s Forum Comission – Film Festival
- Special Screening of the Green Drop Award Winning Documentary followed by a debate with Elio Pacilio and the film’s producer
- Time: 20:00
- Location: Cine Brasília
- Featured Speakers: Elio Pacilio – President of Green Cross Italy
Featured Speakers
Prof Marisa Arienza Mallmann is the President of Green Cross Argentina, a founding member of the Forum Humanum, Secretary of the Argentinean Chapter of The Club of Rome, and Secretary-General for Latin America of The Club of Rome (under the Presidency of Belisario Betancur). She brings with her an expertise in sustainable development and transboundary water cooperation.
Sônia Guajajara is world renowed activist in defense of indigenous and environmental rights. Born in a village in the Amazon rainforest, she recognizes the importance of conserving natural resources and it’s cultural significance. She currently serves as candidate for the co-presidency of the Republic, along with Guilherme Boulos, for the PSOL Party.
Elio Pacilio is an Italian environmentalist who founded Green Cross Italia in 1998 and is its president. As the representative of Green Cross Italia, he was elected to the Green Cross International Board in 2013 and is co-founder of the Green Drop Award at the Venice Film Festival.

Rabbi Soetendorp is an award-winning human rights advocate, lecturer, writer and environmental activist. He is a founding member of Green Cross International and the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, the world’s first multi-faith initiative working to improve access to safe drinking water, improved sanitation and proper hygiene.
