Innovation, Collaboration, and Connection Define the 2025 Asia Regional Summit
By: Mary Beth Postman
Set against the shimmering backdrop of the National Water Museum of China in Hangzhou, Waterkeepers from China, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Thailand, and Cambodia gathered at the 2025 Asia Regional Summit from October 26-29, 2025 to collaborate, learn, and exchange ideas. Held every two years, regional summits are a cornerstone of how we strengthen the Waterkeeper movement—creating space for Waterkeepers to connect, share local experiences, and build collective strategies to defend clean water across borders.
We opened the Summit with a regional roundtable, sharing experiences from our rivers, coasts, and communities across Asia. The conversations flowed easily—ranging from the impacts of mining, industrial pollution, hydropower development, plastic waste, and transboundary water challenges to the power of collective action and community engagement. We discussed how these shared threats link our waters and how stronger partnerships, advocacy, and community-based solutions can help us respond effectively. The dialogue set a tone of solidarity and innovation that carried throughout the week.
As Daru Setyorini from Brantas River Waterkeeper (Indonesia) described it, “The best part of the summit was the sharing and discussion among Waterkeepers in the region. It opened access for collaboration and joint fundraising.” That spirit of connection and exchange carried throughout the week. We shared lessons learned from our local campaigns, explored new strategies for movement-building, and found renewed energy in each other’s work. Bijay Bashyal from Seti Gandaki River Waterkeeper (Nepal) reflected that “it was a great gathering that rejuvenated our energy and helped us learn new practices and techniques from each other.”
The following day, we joined students, educators, and scientists at the 6th International Symposium on Water Science Popularization Education for Future-Oriented Youth, hosted within the National Water Museum. Themed “AI Empowering Water Protection,” the symposium explored how artificial intelligence is reshaping water stewardship through presentations on drone-based remote sensing for soil and water conservation, robotic dogs for levee safety, and AI-powered flood early-warning systems. Demonstrations of virtual-reality learning tools and AI-generated student art on water conservation added creativity and energy to the program.
As part of our participation in the symposium, our local hosts presented a creative interpretation of the word WATERKEEPER, connecting each letter to a principle that reflects both the science and spirit of water protection. Their presentation linked our global mission to shared values of stewardship, innovation, and community:
W – Well-being: “Water is the source of life; protecting water is protecting the health and well-being of ourselves and future generations.”
A – Action: “Protecting water resources cannot remain a slogan—it requires immediate action from every one of us.”
T – Technology: “As emphasized in this theme, we must harness the power of technology, such as AI and drones, to safeguard rivers more intelligently.”
E – Ecosystem: “Water is not isolated; it connects mountains, soil, and all life. We must protect the entire ecosystem.”
R – Responsibility: “As guardians of water, I deeply feel the weight of responsibility on my shoulders—a responsibility we all share.”
K – Knowledge: “Spreading knowledge about water protection and raising public awareness are key to preventing water pollution.”
E – Education: “Start with children—education is the foundation for nurturing future guardians of water.”
E – Efficiency: “Through precise management and technological innovation, we can enhance the efficiency of water resource use and eliminate waste.”
P – Partnership: “Cross-border, cross-sector, and cross-disciplinary partnerships are essential to solving complex water challenges.”
E – Empowerment: “We must empower communities, enabling everyone to have the ability and the right to protect the rivers around them.”
R – Resilience: “In the face of climate change, we must build resilient water systems to ensure the safety and tranquility of rivers.”
The presentation drew applause from the international audience, capturing the essence of what it means to be a Waterkeeper in a rapidly changing world—combining science, responsibility, and hope.
Later in the week, we visited some of Hangzhou’s leading centers for water innovation, beginning with the Xiaoshan Qianjiang Water Treatment Plant, one of China’s largest municipal wastewater facilities, capable of treating 740,000 tons per day. We then met with the leadership of Kaiyuan Environment Technology Group Co., Ltd. (Kyee), which operates and manages industrial wastewater from the region’s printing and dyeing sector. The visit offered valuable insight into how industry leaders are advancing cleaner production and water reuse. We ended the day at the Hangzhou Ecological Environment Monitoring Center’s AI Lab, where we saw firsthand how artificial intelligence is transforming environmental monitoring, pollution tracking, and flood forecasting.
After the Summit concluded, several of us traveled to Taizhou for an additional event hosted by Waterkeepers China. There, we joined the Science to You (Sci2U) exchange, held in connection with China’s first national Science Popularization Month, a nationwide initiative to make science more accessible and participatory. The event brought together Waterkeepers and university students to explore how AI-driven education, digital heritage tools, and interactive learning can inspire a new generation of water stewards. We also met with a delegation from Zhejiang Province to exchange insights on regional water challenges and identify opportunities for collaboration.
What struck me most during these final days was how seamlessly technology, education, and community engagement intertwined throughout every visit and conversation. The exchange in Taizhou wasn’t just about innovation. It reflected how deeply local and global perspectives can connect. In many ways, it felt like a bridge: one that links science with tradition, policy with practice, and our shared hope for cleaner, healthier rivers with the next generation ready to carry that mission forward.
From the reflection of the “floating crystal pagoda” on the Qiantang River to the conversations that continued through Taizhou, the Asia Regional Summit captured what defines the Waterkeeper movement at its best: collaboration, creativity, and shared purpose.
These gatherings remind us that no Waterkeeper works alone. Each summit renews our collective strength, aligns our regional priorities, and ensures that the fight for clean water remains deeply connected to the people and places we serve. Together, we are not only defending clean water, we are reimagining what’s possible when science, community engagement, and culture flow together.