Topics of the day

• Berlin Watertable: Successful Resistance to privatized Waterworks?
• Rally in the City: Discover the water related dimensions of Berlin 

Summary by the participants:

2nd day of the workshop

8.30 Everybody is prepared for another hard-working day thanks to the healthy and tasty vegetarian food we had for breakfast.

10.00 The meeting in the Green Room was shorter that we would expect because we soon got out for an active day that began with a guided tour through the project Cultural and Educational Centre Raoul Wallenberg (host-facility) related to sustainability and water treatment. This was a really pleasant and full of practical information moment about how they adapted an old school building that looks more like a Moselle Castle into a sustainable multifunctional space. Among the good practices and the interventions used here we can mention turning an asphalt yard into a garden, an own system of collecting and using the rain water for the shared garden and a roof covered with solar panels .

11.00 The day continued in the same active way because we received the visit of Dorothea Harlin, one of the initiators of the „Berlin Watertable”, a small group of engaged citizens who shared with us her six year experience of fighting for water as a common, not a commodity. They managed to held a referendum to force the secret PPP (Public Private Partnership) water contract to be published and they miraculously won for the first time in the Berlin history. This case is an inspiration for citizens in other countries as well as Dorothea revealed to us as a very inspiring person.

12.30 Lunch came with Spinach-Quiche with rucola-salad providing energy for the most active part of the day: exploring the town in small Rallye groups with the map in one hand and the tasks in the other.

Here you have some examples from our own experience:
East Side Gallery – Our group of four had to investigate on the significance of The Berlin Wall and how the banks of the Spree river were used during the division of Berlin (Cold War). We took notice of the land use on a certain sector of the Spree river banks. (Ioana)
Radialsystem V & Virchow Memorial – Our group of four had to investigate on the original function of the Radialsystem V building and its role in the development of the water supply system in Berlin and also to find out which is the connection between the Radialsystem V and the Virchow Memorial. (Dana)
Rummelsburger Bay, Stralauer Peninsula – Find how the area was used in the past (e.g. historic buildings) and the appearence today. (Anabela&the other 4 members of the group)
We interviewed passerbyes, we took pictures and notes and will share our experience with the other groups tomorrow. What about your experience on the topic of water?

19.30 Dinner – another portion of green energy (Quinoa Salad and Endives)

20.30 Although we were tired from the ralley, we found enthusiasm growing while each of the participants from Italy, Portugal, Romania and Germany shared their background experience in NGO’s, water and other sustainable topics.