IWI president Rudy Van der Ween, also now vice-chairman of the World Canal Cities Organisation, attended the COP 28 conference in Dubai, at the invitation of WCCO. A pavilion was devoted to the annual Global Canal Rowing Action. Cities around the world, including Yangzhou, China (Grand Canal) and Dubai, UAE, joined hands to promote canal culture and the concept of low-carbon environmental protection for sustainable development.
According to Ken Lee, co-initiator of the Global Canal Rowing Action, this year’s event started in Yangzhou and visited cities in America and Africa before the finale on the canal in Dubai on December 2. Overall, the action has reached more than 160 cities in 34 countries and regions, with more than 7000 people participating, to jointly convey the environmental protection concept of ‘zero carbon, clean water’.
The finale saw a parade of rowing boats on the Dubai Canal, including a quadruple sculls stroked by World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland.
