BLUE TALK

For the Blue Community network, we started the BLUE TALK, a series of video interviews with Blue Community Ambassadors. Rather than focusing on a specific topic with several guests as in traditional webinars, BLUE TALKS provide a platform for Blue Ambassadors and activists to present their work on water and sanitation, their latest publication, and their upcoming activities and projects. The video interviews are conducted on Zoom and last between 30 and 45 minutes. As the Blue Community spans time zones from Australia over India, Africa and Europe to North and South America, it is not possible to find a time slot that suits everyone. If time allows, you can join the live session and submit your questions in the chat. The video recordings are made available here afterwards for people in all time zones around the globe.

2025, November 27: BLUE TALK with David McDonald

David McDonald is Professor of Global Development Studies at Queen’s University, Canada, and Director of the Municipal Services Project, a global research network that explores progressive forms of public services with a focus on equity, sustainability and democratic engagement (for his publications see here). And he is Blue Community Ambassador. Announcement: On Thursday, 27 November, he will give an interview for the Blue Community Network at 9am EST / 3pm CET (time changed -1 hour!). Topics will be the concept of public water, the role of private money and players in water and sanitation, the resistance of water justice movements in Latin America against state controlled water systems and much more.

See the video recording of the interview here.

2025, December 11: BLUE TALK with Léo Heller

BLUE TALK with Blue Community Ambassador LÉO HELLER, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Drinking Water and Sanitation. He is currently Leading Researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil, and visiting professor at King’s College London.

“I don’t say that public management is always good, that it has no flaws. But I think the risk of privatisation is greater than the risk of investing and betting on improving public management.”

See the recording of the video interview here.

2026, January 13: BLUE TALK with Erin O’Donnell

BLUE TALK with Blue Community Ambassador Erin O’Donnell, Book Author, Associate Professor at Melbourne Law School, The University of Melbourne, Australia.

Living rivers and the political rights of Indigenous Peoples in Australia.

“Australia’s water laws are contemporary expressions of water theft. Victoria’s new Treaty is the first treaty between settler state governments and Indigenous Peoples in Australia’s history, and provides a platform to address this”.

See the recorded BLUE TALK here