GWP-Med developed in 2017 the Integrated Urban Water Management Serious Game (IUWM Serious Game) in collaboration with FloodCom, a Dutch company which specialises in Serious Game development, in the frame of the Water for the City project, implemented in the coastal city of Alexandroupolis, NE Greece. This is the first serious game on integrated urban water management globally. The aim of the Water for the City Serious Game is to build stakeholder capacity on urban water management and strategic planning for a water resilient city, responding to climate change and urbanisation trends. Its objectives are to:

• Falimiliarise the city’s stakeholders with the principles of Integrated Urban Water Management;
• Promote strategic planning of urban water management measures;
• Introduce various water management solutions and climate change adaptation measures, through the use of non conventional water resources and the implementation of urban green-blue infrastructure projects of various scales;
• Improve communication and collaboration among institutional stakeholders and water users.

The original version has been developed in two languages, Greek and English, and is tailored to the characteristic features of Alexandroupolis. At the beginning, players are introduced to the principles of IUWM and the various water management solutions to address climate change impacts, from intense rainfall and consequent flooding to drought. Each player is assigned a role as a key stakeholder with a mandate and/or responsibility to contribute to the management of urban water. All players, within their capacities, need to prioritise various applications that improve urban water management and the city’s landscape. They match priorities and funds, to implement targeted solutions. Throughout the course of the game, they face various challenges, such as timely planning to address expected or unexpected water scarcity and flash floods, adhering to real-life restrictions and taking into consideration the needs and wishes of the civil society. Moreover, the Serious Game brings forward actual dilemmas in decision making, promoting and improving communication, dialogue and debate among urban stakeholders.

I realized that it is imperative to cooperate; only through a set of organized actions could one possibly prepare for an unfavorable situation without facing severe consequences.

The “game” is an original and intelligent way to bring various stakeholders at the same table and have them discuss the needs of the city.

Beyond Alexandroupolis, the game can apply to other areas with or without adjustments based on specific needs, and it has also been used as a capacity building tool for a wider audience, including professionals in the water sector and decision makers in public administration.

The Game is facilitated by trained masters and it includes four players (roles) corresponding to key urban water management stakeholders: municipality, water utility, regional authority and the private sector. The Game is played either with the actual stakeholders in the game roles or with assigned roles to the participants.

The goal of the participants, within game sessions, is to safeguard that their city has sufficient water resources and is free from floods, at the same time keeping the civil society satisfied. The game is played in seasonal rounds of increasing difficulty, as conditions become more adverse.

Interested to know more about the game or to organize a session at your premises?

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