United by Rivers: Flow, Friction, Future conference

9:00 – 9:30
Participant registration

9:30 – 9:45
Opening ceremony

9:45 – 10:30
Press conference, signing of the membership declaration

10:30 – 10:50
Presentation I:
Association of Vistula Cities – cooperation among cities along the Vistula: achievements, plans, and a vision for collaboration.
Marcin Strych, President of the Board, Association of Vistula Cities

10:50 – 11:10
Questions from participants

11:10 – 11:30
Presentation II: Comprehensive promotion of the Warsaw section of the Vistula as a tourist attraction – in Poland and abroad.
Mateusz Czerwiński, Warsaw Tourist Organization

11:30 – 11:45
Questions from participants

11:45 – 12:15
Coffee break

12:15 – 12:35
Presentation III: The Vistula Unites – promotion and activation of the urban section of the Vistula; the "Vistula District" initiative as inspiration for integrated local government actions regarding riverside recreation; potential for cooperation and exchange of experiences; the Vistula Celebration and Festival.
Jan Piotrowski, Plenipotentiary for the Vistula River, City of Warsaw

12:35 – 13:00
Presentation IV: The Vistula Trail – prospects for developing and promoting a joint tourism product connecting cities and municipalities along the Vistula.
Marcin Karasiński, Vice-President of the Vistula Tourism Organization and Director of the Vistula Festival

13:00 – 14:00
Panel discussion – representatives of cities along the Vistula: the universal significance of the Vistula as a hub for sports, recreation, and tourism.

14:00 – 14:15
Discussion session with participants: questions from the floor

14:15 – 15:15
Lunch break

15:15 – 15:45
Panel V: Traditional wooden boats in Europe. Heritage, innovation, and the future of inland navigation.
Jadwiga Klim, National Maritime Museum in Gdańsk / Department of Inland Navigation History.

15:45 – 16:15
Discussion session with participants: questions from the floor

9:30- 9:40
Welcome address and opening of the conference (City of Warsaw)

9:40 – 10:40
Panel Discussion
Rivers as everyday urban spaces under pressure: How are cities transforming their rivers to respond to climate risks, social needs, and urban development pressures—while staying accountable to residents?
Magdalena Młochowska, Deputy Mayor, City of Warsaw
Francesco Tresso, Deputy Mayor, City of Turin
Māris Sprindžuks, Deputy Chairman, Riga City Council
 

10:40 – 10:50
Inspirational talks – one drop one story - Seoul
From Highway to Waterway — The Revival of Seoul’s Cheonggyecheon
Hyeonbeom Jo, Head of the Waterfront Policy Team, Seoul Metropolitan Government

10:50-11:30
Disscussion and Q&A
Rapid session 1
Bringing Rivers Back to Life: Experiences in river restoration, renaturalisation and urban regeneration
Hanna Zdanowska, Mayor of City of Łódź
Barteld Fokkens, Chairman European Centre for River Restoration
Hyeonbeom Jo, Head of the Waterfront Policy Team, Seoul Metropolitan Government London (tbc)
 

11:30 – 11:45
Coffee Break

11:45 – 12:00
Inspirational talks – one drop one story - Warsaw
Vistula District — From Riverbank to Urban Oasis
Jan Piotrowski, Plenipotentiary for the Vistula River, City of Warsaw

12:00-12:15
Signing Ceremony of the United by Rivers Declaration
Family photo

12:15- 12:30
Inspirational talks – one drop one story – Chicago
Building Partnerships, Reviving a River – how collaboration transformed the Chicago River
John Quail, Director of Policy and Conservation, Friends of Chicago River

12:30- 13:10
Disscussion and Q&A
Rapid session 2
Rivers in action: from strategy to implementation
What does it take to translate river management strategies into tangible results on the ground? How are different local actors collaborating to overcome governance, coordination, financial, and institutional barriers?
Jānis Ruciņš, Expert in Urban Planning, City of Riga
John Quail, Director of Policy and Conservation, Friends of Chicago River
Claudia Singer-Smith, EU Strategy for the Danube Region

13:10-13:25
Coffee Break

13:25-13:40
Inspirational talks – one drop one story 

13:40 -14:30
Panel Discussion
Balancing river tourism development with environmental sustainability
How can cities develop river tourism in ways that strengthen local economies while preserving environmental sustainability and the quality of urban river ecosystems?
Jacek Grunt-Mejer, Plenipotentiary for Revitalization, City of Warsaw
Rafał Czerwiński, Warsaw Tourist Organization
Jens Ihsen, Düsseldorf Tourismus GmbH Pairs/Belgrade (tbc)

14:30 – 14:40
Closing of the conference and conclusions